The Boy Scouts of America may be headed for a name-change, as the organization announced Wednesday they will now be openly accepting girls into their ranks – because apparently, Girl Scouts aren’t good enough.
Boy Scouts officials said they will now be taking girls as Cub Scouts, allowing them to eventually earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout.
“The historic decision comes after years of receiving requests from families and girls, the organization evaluated the results of numerous research efforts, gaining input from current members and leaders, as well as parents and girls who’ve never been involved in Scouting – to understand how to offer families an important additional choice in meeting the character development needs of all their children,” the Boy Scouts of America said in a statement.
The roughly 100-year-old organization added that current Boy Scout packs won’t be forced to expand their ranks to girls, explaining, “Existing packs may choose to establish a new girl pack, establish a pack that consists of girl dens and boy dens or remain an all-boy pack” and adding that Cub Scout packs, designed for younger children, will remain single-gender.
“This unique approach allows the organization to maintain the integrity of the single gender model while also meeting the needs of today’s families,” officials claimed.
This new change goes into effect in 2018.
This is hardly the first time the largely Catholic-backed group has caved to changing societal norms. The organization found itself in a hot water with many members earlier this year, when they announced they would be accepting transgender boys – i.e., those who are biologically female – into the Boy Scouts based on their gender identity. Two years before, in 2015, the Boy Scouts changed their longstanding policy to allow openly gay men to serve as Scout leaders.
(Cover photo: Steven Depolo)