In the early 1900’s, two major organizations, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts, set social goals and standards as well as boundaries and rules. Even today, both wear, enjoy, and learn many of the same materials, yet remain separate. Boy Scouts welcome young boys, while Girl Scouts let in young girls…and this is okay. Recently, the Boy Scouts of America came out with a new campaign to begin allowing young girls to participate in Boy Scouts…but wait, for what? As a feminist and a woman, I do not need a male figure to decide that young girls need the “boy scouts” experience.

Growing up, I learned that boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider, and girls go to college to get more knowledge. Giggling, laughing, and snickering with my fellow female classmates, I didn’t realize this “joke” would follow me my whole life. At a young age, I was taught men and women are supposed to be separated from one another. As I grew into a more mature young lady, I have discovered it’s actually okay to be separate. Due to the marketed facts of history between the two organizations, the mental health of the kids, and the growth of the next generation of feminists, no matter how progressive society gets, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts should remain separated.

According to the history of Boy Scouts presented by Barbara Arneil, a professor in the department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, there has been decades and decades worth of maltreatment and conflict between the BSA and GSUSA (Girl Scouts of the United States of America.) Knowing this, one has to wonder if the choice to include girls as a market competitor could stand as an example of continued hostility towards their counterpart:  are they trying to look inclusive when the Girl Scouts are not? Are they trying to increase their funding and resources, since more young girls will be filling up spots in the co-ed program?

Along with the negative impact the BSA has put on the GSUSA, there comes the real and raw mental health factors that follow young kids for the rest of their lives. In fact, research shows that leadership outcomes are extensively more developed in Girl Scouts rather than non-Girl Scouts. Furthermore, Girl Scouts buffer girls against negative outcomes at the crucial times in their lives. For example, in middle school, it is known for girls to struggle with their self esteem; however, girls who participated in Girl Scouts will see a lift in their self esteem instead of a drop. Additionally, “this could tell girls and boys that they are not important enough to be on their own,” says Krista Proksch, a senior, meaning that kids should grow in separate groups to understand their identity in order to feel important. Girls already do so many things with men standing in front of them; let them be individuals. 4 in 5 Girl Scouts are leaders compared to 2 in 5 non Girl Scouts. So why take away these young girls from growing into strong and healthy women by tearing down the GSUSA just for the boys? Do you really think these girls will grow into these same kinds of leaders when surrounded by boys? Possible, but less likely.

STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. These assets are what the GSUSA are teaching today, and most of which are male-dominated professions. To continue these programs, we need young woman to step up to the plate; to be strong leaders and smart feminists. If GSUSA stays a strong and independent organization, more and more women of the future will be taking the roles of engineers, scientists, mathematicians and engineers. GSUSA states, “…they’re discovering how a car’s engine runs, learning to manage finances, or caring for animals.” This clearly shows that the organization wants to see these girls explore and succeed in a wide variety of activities. Additionally, girls reported that the STEM program “makes me feel like I am valuable,” according to nearly 93% of Girl Scouts in a recent survey. With a helping hand and fun learning opportunities, the GSUSA is promoting strong women with good values and morals.

GSUSA helps young girl develop a strong, stable foundation and exposes them to incredible programs such as STEM to help these young girls to grow into strong women, the girls are doing fine. Sorry boys, but we don’t need you.