To Cook or To Camp? Scouting For Gender Roles

If young girls must join BSA in order to become more proficient in skills such as camping and hiking, this pushes the narrative that such activities are inherently masculine. Furthermore, by preserving outdated views of femininity, the Girl Scouts are also complicit in enforcing traditional gender expectations. While including all

children in BSA might teach young girls that they are capable of occupying male-dominated fields, it would also perpetuate the idea that such fields are inherently masculine and therefore “unsuitable” for girls. Alienating young girls from peers who elect to embrace the traditionally feminine connotations of Girl Scouts creates the illusion  that the varying degrees of femininity are arranged in a hierarchy, rather than a spectrum. On the other hand, BSA membership provides young girls with a safe space to engage in often inaccessible activities with one another without the intimidation instilled by societal gender roles. Although affinity spaces are often vital to the preservation of one’s sense of identity, separated spaces do not cultivate gender unity — rather, the lack of diverse perspectives in the developmental stages inhibit Scouts’ abilities to collaborate. The responsibility for this change should not fall to young girls to teach boys to respect them, but rather to the leaders of these organizations who possess the ability to create programming that emphasizes the value of collaboration and civility.

Contrary to the organizations’ claims, the gendered distinction between their curricula is evidenced by their respective galleries of merit badges available to Scouts. According to the official BSA website, awarded skills range from “American Business” and “Programming” to “Reptile and Amphibian Study” and “Sports,” all of which could be deemed essential skills. On the other hand, the Girl Scouts’ most coveted badges include “Cookie Entrepreneurship,” “Manners,” and “Environmental Stewardship,” with a rollout of STEM badges coinciding with the push to allow young girls to register with BSA. Although the organizations’ respective badge systems currently comprise a diversified range of life skills, the lack — or limitation — of certain subjects are indicative of the stereotypical narrative that badge requirements push.

While they are, on the one hand, progressive, and catalysts for the empowerment of young women, the Girl Scouts’ survival honors and outdoor activities are not nearly as extensive as that of BSA.