Males in GSUSA/Females in BSA
Mark Turner (mturner@MGBG.COM)
Thu, 28 May 1998 10:16:47 -0400
I've been following the posts on female leaders in Boy Scouts and male
leaders in Girl Scouts. It's interesting to note that the two
organizations have slightly different approaches on this issue. For
reference, I am a male registered as a leader in both Boy Scouts and
Girl Scouts.
BSA allows females to occupy any leadership position held by males.
Personally, I think this is a good thing. I believe that both genders
can serve as excellent role models for boys. I have served as a leader
in the BSA with women in the roles of Den Leader, Assistant Cubmaster,
Assistant Scoutmaster, and various pack and troop committee positions.
Without exception, they have been at the "top of the pack" in
performance, character, and enthusiasm.
GSUSA allows males to serve in most, but not all, leadership roles.
Males cannot be the "01" leader, sort of like the Scoutmaster, in a
Girl Scout troop. Other positions are open to male leaders. When I
learned of this policy at my first GSUSA leader training, I was
amazed. I couldn't understand why Girls Scouts would limit any
position to females only.
After some thought, I came to respect the GSUSA policy. My respect is
based on the need to provide girls with a strong female role model.
While I believe our society has improved, I think it's still very much
dominated by males. Therefore, I think it's important to show girls
that females can lead as well, and perhaps even better, than males.
Is this a double standard? Should BSA require Scoutmasters to be male
(again)? I don't think so. It seems that policies have to change with
the times. Right now, I do not know of any Boy Scout troops that lack
male leadership. I'm sure they exist but they're not common in my
council. So, the policy allowing females to assume any leadership
position in a troop doesn't seem to jeopardize the influence of a male
role model. It does allow our boys to see that females are capable of
performing the same tasks as males. Personally, I think that's an
important lesson.
We have several female leaders in our Boy Scout troop of 60+ boys.
Camping with them is not and has never been a problem. Certainly, we
have to make provisions for everyone's privacy but that's not
difficult. With our boys, we need all the adult leadership support we
can get and setting up a sign on the latrine is a very small price to
pay for it!
I have camped with our Girl Scout troop on several occasions (12 girls
who just bridged into Juniors - fourth grade). I have always been
treated with respect and welcomed as a leader. Males are definitely
in the minority in Girls Scouts and that has opened my eyes to what
females must experience in a Boy Scout troop. At a recent
neighborhood encampment (kind of like a district camporee) I was one
of only two males present. I can assure you that being in the
minority can be very uncomfortable unless the group makes you feel
welcome.
I'm sorry to have rambled so long but I guess my point (surely there
is a point!) is that you should be happy to accept help from a female
leader in whatever job she is willing to do. Further, you should go
out of your way to make her feel welcome in your troop just as you
should welcome any leader. If you do that, your troop and your life
can only get better!
YiS,
Mark Turner
ASM, T11, Gulf Ridge Council, Brandon, FL
BS RTC, Timucua District
I used to be an Eagle, SR-CS-5
I used to be a Staffer, SR-CS-8
I used to be an Antelope, SR-204
I used to have spare time!
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
