It looks like the Girl Scouts of the USA will remain just that - for the girls. And in this case, they could teach the “boys” a thing or two.
This week's decision by the Boy Scouts to begin allowing girls to join their ranks prompted many to question whether the Girl Scouts will star accepting boys -- not because the public necessarily wants them to, but because it would seem a bit hypocritical, right?
The Girl Scouts responded loud and clear on Thursday in responses to both ABC News and yours truly through Twitter.
I posed the question to the Girl Scouts, “Are boys allowed to join the Girl Scouts?” in an effort to understand whether gender inclusivity only applies to one gender.
Here’s a screenshot of the Girl Scouts’ response:
“Hi Nick, Girl Scouts is, and will remain, the scouting program that truly benefits U.S. girls by providing a safe space for them to learn and lead,” the response read.
While the Girl Scouts answer was a veiled “no,” I agree with their decision to keep the Girl Scouts for girls only.
In response to ABC News, the Girl Scouts had a much more inflammatory answer.
“The Boy Scouts' house is on fire," a Girl Scouts spokesperson said Thursday. "Instead of addressing systemic issues of continuing sexual assault, financial mismanagement and deficient programming, BSA's senior management wants to add an accelerant to the house fire by recruiting girls.”
It makes sense that the Girl Scouts wouldn't be too happy with their counterparts' decision -- it cuts into their bottom line.
The Girl Scouts doubled-down on their stance to keep their organization “single-gender," adding on their website:
Girl Scouts is the best girl leadership organization in the world, created with and for girls. We believe strongly in the importance of the all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment that Girl Scouts provides, which creates a free space for girls to learn and thrive.
The benefit of the single-gender environment has been well-documented by educators, scholars, other girl- and youth-serving organizations, and Girl Scouts and their families. Girl Scouts offers a one-of-a-kind experience for girls with a program tailored specifically to their unique developmental needs.
It really doesn’t get any clearer than that. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts, and boys belong in the Boy Scouts.
Maybe the Girl Scouts should tackle the gender-neutral bathroom situation since it seems as though they have more cajones than the Boy Scouts.