The Brian Lehrer Show

The Boy Scouts Now Welcome Girls

02.04.2019 - By WNYCPlay

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The Boys Scouts program for older kids has been re-named Scouts BSA, and girls are now allowed to join — but not everyone is happy about it, some girls and women included. Listeners call in to share whether their girls are interested in joining, and former Girl Scouts weigh in.

My daughter is a Girl Scout in Fort Greene, and she’s flatly uninterested. The existing leadership structure and role models in GSA is unique and powerful. BSA can change their name but their leaders continue fail to provide one of the most important elements of GSA experience.

— Det Insp Spacetime (J. Izurieta) (@dream_king) February 4, 2019

@BrianLehrer growing up I wanted to be a Boy Scout so bad, but I was forced to join Girl Scouts & quit after two years. I wanted survival training not singing song at retirement communities.

— Emaline Williams (@Ema_line) February 4, 2019

As a former girl Scout, mother of a Boy Scout and scout master, I think making Scouts coed is fine. The programs are different bet GS & BS. PLUS, within the troops, girls and boys will be separate so each gender can experience leadership.

— Thoughts of Whiskers (@of_whiskers) February 4, 2019

As a Life Member of Girl Scouts who earned the Girl Scout Gold Award-- equivalent to the Eagle Scout Award-- I find the new Scouts BSA announcement that girls can pursue the highest award too pretty offensive. Help spread the word the Gold Award is an accomplishment too.

— Danielle Razel (@RadRayReading) February 4, 2019

I'm a former boy scout, and the cookie parent of a girl scout. Here's an interesting way to couch this. If the Boy Scouts were founded in 2019 would they be gender inclusive? Probably. If Girl Scouts were founded today, they'd probably be girl only, still. Gender bias is real

— Andy Parker (@1andyparker) February 4, 2019

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