Boy Scouts becomes “Scouting America”

The Satellite
61

I’ll just say I don’t care. What you’re asking is an opinion, so to say one doesn’t know doesn’t even make sense. Here’s what you asked:

"If transgender includes both MTF and FTM, then why wouldn’t the Girl Scouts allow cis-Men?

Don’t FTM transgender people want to be treated as if they were biological men?

Entire thing makes no sense"

"Can you answer the question?

Should both MTF and FTM be allowed in Girl Scouts?"

None of that has anything to do with girls joining the Boy Scouts, ie. Scouting America.

But go ahead and argue a point no one is making or cares to make except for you, and you alone. You just had a thought in your head, but no filter. Your question complicates everything, when it need not be, at least not yet.

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62

Indian Guides was fun when I was a kid.

It’s now “Adventure Guides.”

Definitely recommend it.

There’s also this coed group.

Can’t say I ever knew anyone who was active in it though.

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My son’s troop got to spend the night on the Lady Lex. This was not a typical Boy Scout campout. For starters, I didn’t have to pitch a tent, blow up a mattress or unfold a cot. No logs, no fire, no checking for spiders under the seat in the outhouse. No flashlights to guide the way. Best of all, I rested in air-conditioned comfort. In fact, it was a lot like sleeping in a museum, with one small exception.

Men died in this museum.

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My son’s troop twice camped at Fort Hood.

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My son loves being a Wilderness Explorer.

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I have much to say on this matter but too busy right now.

Stay tuned.

I was very active as a youth and then as a young adult.

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In that case, see all of the questions I asked above, i.e., will the Girl Scouts lose members to the new coed Scouting America; will Scouting America and Girl Scouts lose members to Trail Life and American Heritage girls, and what “cool stuff” do/does the Boy Scouts/Scouting America do that the Girl Scouts don’t do?

I want to hear from a first hand source, with no intention of “back and forth,” whatever that means.

68

Does this help?

Despite the similarities between the programs, a 2011 study in Gender & Society, a journal focused on gender studies, found that Girl Scouts are generally discouraged from scientific pursuits while Boy Scouts are pushed away from artistic interests.

The study found that the girls are offered more art activities than the boys, but science activities make up only 2% of their activities and 6% for the boys. The girls’ activities are more communal, with 30% of their badge work taking place in groups, while the boys work is more self-oriented with less than 20% of their work taking place in a group.

The study also found that boys were instructed to look for answers in the back of their guide, something that “fosters intellectual dependence and passivity”, whereas girls were encouraged to do original research.

69

I see.

So more arts and crafts for the girls, and more outdoor activities for the boys.

Somewhat more STEM for the boys, but not a lot for either.

OK.

Still though. To me, arts and crafts may be “cool stuff” as well.

That avatar of mine…it’s a pencil sketch that I did myself, and then photographed.

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70

I figured you would also appreciate the independent thinking fostered by GS.

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71

Well, yeah.

There’s something to be said for that. Not really sure how much “independent thinking” a bunch of brownies really do though.

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Btw, that is a cool avatar you made.

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Are you trying to define “cool” stuff? Everyone gets to decide for themselves what is cool

74

I got it. No arguments here.

It’s just that some people here said that the Boy Scouts did “cool stuff,” and the Girl Scouts not so much.

When I found out what they are actually doing, it seems to me that the Girl Scouts did quite a bit of stuff that I would consider “cool stuff” as well.

In other words, I don’t necessarily agree with what those others consider to be “cool stuff.” As you say, we all decide for ourselves what is “cool,” and I would decide that both groups do “cool,” albeit different stuff.

I mean, I gotta be honest.

Once you’ve had to do camping, orienteering/land navigation, hiking, and other outdoor activities as part of a military profession, as I did for years…it kinda loses its appeal as an extracurricular activity.

But that’s just me.

Anyway, I still can’t understand why some people here were such “secret squirrels” about what they considered “cool stuff.” It ain’t exactly a national security secret.

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OK, now I’m going to REALLY stir up the pot!

Here is Trail Life’s reaction to the Boy Scouts’ name change.

Comments?

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image

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I am replying to I4Ts post because I am in pretty much in agreement on his thoughts here, I think.

I was heavily involved with the scouts from the cubs and serving until my late 20s as an Assistant Scoutmaster. A few more years after that in name only.

I am obviously for those that know me here on the liberal side of the spectrum, not making this political, because the demise to scouting might seem politically it is much greater than that. It might be greatly cultural but much broader cultural elements than all the current woke talk.

The demise started a long time ago. Everything that the scouts did to combat their demise actually made things worse.

My main point to begin with his scouts was never only supposed to be about the outdoors and those badges it has always been about learning a set of values as exemplified in the Scout Oath, Law, Motto & Slogan.

That is what counts, that is the only thing that counts. If you don’t learn that then all those skill badges on the road to Eagle men nothing.

I believe this learning was supposed to be boys alone learning from decent men. Men, not women. So the first problem was female scoutmasters.

By the way, there have always been women involved in Boy Scouts of America but the singularity of the scoutmaster and assistant scoutmaster roles I have a problem with.

The scouts purposely removed time constraints on the road to Eagle. The problem with this is the young men don’t stay around to teacher the younger boys.

The scouts were not quick enough to get rid of creepy people. The scouts were not quick enough to have simple rules in place the a lone adult should be left a lone with a lone boy.

They didn’t think of good ways to keep young men engaged in a changing world. They tried, but failed at every turn.

The scouts have been selling land off but the hundreds of thousands of acres, including my beloved camp in upstate New York and many more around the country.

I could write for another hour. It is pitiful.

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78

I don’t think the decline of Boy Scouts is that deep and was honestly inevitable

Since the 90s, there has been hundreds of new ways that children and teens have become distracted (good or bad). Explosion of youth sports, video games, social media, etc.

As the decline took place, less money was available for more adventurous scout activities. And of course, with technology, the creep aspect of Boy Scouts became more known.

I think this name change is less so about being woke and more so about getting more investment

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indian guides is coed

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It was great. There was an older gentleman who told stories about her during ww2. He had made some hula skirts out of torn parachutes. Sailed into tokyo harbor on her when the war ended. He got to keep a Japanese rifle as the spoils of war.

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