by Rich Harrington

Created on: February 27, 2009

Girls are allowed into the upper levels of the Boy Scouts of America program known as Venturing already. I've been involved with Boy Scouting for 10 years as a leader and feel that at the Boy Scout Troop level, girls would be an unnecessary and difficult addition. Venturing allows boys and girls above the age of 14 to join. They wear a dark green shirt and are the crew is self managing. There is always both men and women involved in any outing, but the decisions are made by the teens and not by the adults.

I have met many parents of girls who would love to go into a Boy Scout troop and do the things the boys do. There are a lot of girls that enjoy camping, hiking etc and I feel sorry for those girls and their parents. But at a certain age, boys and girls need the separation. The unfortunate problem is not that the Boy Scouts do not allow girls in, but that Girl Scout programs are not as good in many cases as the Boy Scout program. The parents who wish their girl could join the Boy Scouts are usually in a Girl Scout troop that is not as outdoor oriented or has rules and regulations that make any outdoor activity difficult to do.

As a Boy Scout leader, I recognize that there are girls that would fit into the Boy Scout program well. I believe this is why the Venturing program was started. At 14, boys and girls do have a different appreciation of each others gender. Venturing allows boys and girls to mix in a very well controlled environment. Within a Boy Scout troop, there are boys as young as 10 and these boys are not that into mixing socially with girls. Having girls involved might push them away. Also until about age 14, girls are usually bigger and stronger than boys and can dominate in contests etc. Again, the goal of scouting is to involve children in healthy activities.

Girl Scouts does seem to have mixed messages. I've met very outdoor people in GSA and very indoor craft oriented people. The problem is that they do not encourage dads to participate and the girls can get discouraged if they are in the wrong group. Unless they are lucky enough to have one that meshes with their needs, they simply leave with no place to go for outdoor fun other than home. As a Boy Scout leader, I hate to poach on a Girl Scout troop, but if a parent asks, I will tell them to look at Venturing. The kids have fun, get to socialize and still have a good structure around them.

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