Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Unfortunately, separate is not equal. BSA and GSA are perfect examples. Most girls in GSA do not have equal access to the opportunities in BSA. That is a fact. It is also a fact, that many of them would like them.
That being said it is a private organization and can discriminate based on gender all it likes.
I have a long Girl Scouts history- started with the Brownies. I see nothing wrong with one sex exclusive clubs.
The troops I was in did lots of the outdoorsy things too as well as the cooking stuff. I found it a well balanced mix. I think it was particularly helpful for some of the shyer, less forward girls who would have been lost among more rowdy, bolder boys. It was a way for the sisterhood, if you would, to encourage the quiet girls and let them learn they could achieve, too, in a non competitive way.
It was also very good as we got in the puberty years and teens. Maybe we were ahead of out times, but time was spent on discussing " female stuff" and lady parts- LOL without the embarrassment of having boys around. Sometimes just amongst ourselves, sometimes in conjunction with troop leaders. There was time to discuss dating, etc.
We also did often get together on activities at times with the local Boy Scout troop on larger projects or some of the bigger camping/ sporting events. But I felt it a good experience just to be among the girls. Not everything has to be co-ed all the time. Maybe I was lucky as we had troop leaders who were happy to take us in any direction we wanted. We weren't pushed to be Suzie Homemaker and if we wanted arrangements were made to do outdoor sports and activities.
Too much pigeon-holing. I know boys who are happier in the kitchen than in the woods, and girls who would rather cook over a campfire than a stove.
I don't understand.
How do single sex groups prohibit either of the above examples from happening?
It is up to the troop leader to set the tone of the troop. If the girl scouts want to go camping and learn about nature, they can do that. Likewise if boy scouts want to learn how to cook they can do that.
Unfortunately, separate is not equal. BSA and GSA are perfect examples. Most girls in GSA do not have equal access to the opportunities in BSA. That is a fact. It is also a fact, that many of them would like them.
That being said it is a private organization and can discriminate based on gender all it likes.
Fact: anyone with a sponsor can start a girl scout or boy scout troop of their own and set the pace.
Fact: Children in scouts and parents of those children can be leaders of the troop, again setting the pace of that group.
GSA does have equal opportunity to go camping, learn about nature etc. It is up to the adults in those children's lives to lead.
How do single sex groups prohibit either of the above examples from happening?
It is up to the troop leader to set the tone of the troop. If the girl scouts want to go camping and learn about nature, they can do that. Likewise if boy scouts want to learn how to cook they can do that.
Yup, not looking to debate that fact, it just wasn't geared that way in my experiences.
Scouts is mixed gender over here (well at least until age 12, then boys and girls have separate patrols but still do things together sometimes). I think thats good cos they are mixed when younger but once they are hitting puberty they are mostly separated. I think they all have camps together though.
My son was very active in BSA. He earned his Eagle Scout when he was almost 15. I told him No Eagle- No drivers license. Of course this was after he had been involved for years and enjoyed it. But a wise man once told me to have them go for Eagle before Gasoline and Girls become their main interests. When he heard his college apartment had caught fire while he was out of town, his first response was "Oh No- My Eagle Scout Medal!". Obviously he loved Scouting and we participated as a family.
On a rappelling trip with his troop a young man fell to his death (while his father watched) and what that troop went through together made a huge impact on his life. The surviving troop members and their leaders are still close all these years later.
He hiked some of the Appalachian Trail, went to international jamborees and trips all over the US.
Our daughter's experience with GSA was a bitter disappointment. While son was on all his adventures and earning badges which really taught him fun things like Morse Code, camping skills, masonry skills, etc. daughter was bored stupid with making cupcakes, color coordination, trips to the make up counter at Macy's etc.
I tried to be as active in her troop as my husband and I were in BSA but the two ladies who ran it made it abundantly clear they were in charge and knew better. I offered to teach a basic sewing course complete with borrowed machines but was told that would be too hard. (These same ladies had no trouble asking me to make green shorts for the whole troop .)
The straw that broke the camel's back was a "Fun Trip" into downtown Atlanta to a busy restaurant and shopping. Oh how fun to carry 12 girls to a restaurant and all around a huge mall where no shopping was possible. This was entirely for the leaders who actually made the girls wait while they tried on clothes. We dropped out the next week.
Some of us offered to take the girls to activities like AKC dog shows, climbing walls, co op farms, etc. but these two mothers had their own agendas. The troop soon disbanded as more and more girls realized how useless it was and certainly not as fun as what their brothers were doing.
I didn't even look into Scouting for my last 2 girls. it might have been better but it wasn't from what I heard from my new neighbors.
They have Boy Scouts for girls. It is called Girl Scouts.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
