Stream of Consciousness

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Girl Scouts v. Boy Scouts

Dan Kennedy posted a 'no-class comment' that was made by a Boy Scouts of America spokeswoman on Saturday in the Boston Globe:
The Girl Scouts, pretty much they're known for the Girl Scout cookies. When people think of Boy Scouts, they think of Eagle awards. They think of service.

His post has garnered tons of responses - from those defending Boy Scouts and their spokeswoman to those who say that scouting in general has gone the way of the dinosaur. I, of course, had to weigh in:

I have been a Girl Scout for 18 years - from kindergarten through college and I am now training to be a trainer for GS Eatern Mass. It's frustrating that just because Girl Scouts isn't organized like Boy Scouts - that you have to earn Eagle, etc like levels - makes people think that it's any less legitimate.

I volunteered running a troop for 5 years in Roxbury, across the street from Northesatern University. Almost every week for those five years the girls would squeal in delight and the boys would ask, "Can we come? Why don't we have boy scouts??" So where are these Eagle scouts, who have invested all this time in their projects - are they continuing to give back to the community and foster another generation of involved young citizens?

And GS might be most well known for cookies - but that is the major source of income for funding programs and camps, especially for girls who are unable to afford registration fees, etc. So please, buy a box and give it away. But know that your money isn't for the delicious cookies but so that girls like mine can actually participate in events.



I'd love to know what everyone else thinks - former Boy and Girl Scouts, and those who have never been involved.

1 comment:

Jason said...

I couldn't help myself.

I think I agree that GS is perceived as cookies and sleepover, though I also agree that it is so much more than that. I think that the BSA has done a better job of framing the service aspect of the organization that's all. Also, and I'd be interested to hear what you think of this - I've heard stories of girls that quit GS because they thought it would be like what their brothers did, and it wasn't. Do you think the GS should try to be more like the BSA?

Also, the BSA may have service, but the organization is filled with old, white bigots. So you've got the cookie stigma, I've got the "you're organization is the devil..." who's got it worse? IDK.