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May a male scout or venturer assist in GSUSA activities?


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Some of my venturers are organizing an awesome camporee for their GS district. They are doing a great job. They asked me to help out with map and compass ... seeing that I have spent more time "getting found" than anyone they know, it's a good choice on their part.

 

However, one of the topics that they will cover is not in their field of expertise. I suggested to their GS leader that some of our male venturers might be better suited to instruct a topic, but she was very could to the idea. Instead one of the girls will teach it based on her book-learning. Previously, female venturers have taught this topic to cadettes at a community park, so I know this isn't a political thing between Venturing and GSUSA. I know it's not an unrelated adult male kind of thing because, well, I'm helping. I know it's not about letting boys help with Gold Awards in general because I've seen other projects invite boys and girls to help.

 

Is there anything on the "GS books" against letting a better qualified youth of the opposite sex instruct? Could this be a local thing?

 

I am just trying to figure out where the lines are drawn.

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My daughter is now a junior and has been a girl scout since daisy. From what i have seen of girl scouts it is very much about girl empowerment and not needing to rely on a male to do X. The fact that the girls have to ask help from a boy could be seen as undermining their program.

 

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Actually they lined up a male venturer for the aquatics area. He was the only one available with guard certification. This not an issue where safety will be compromised. It's more a matter of lining up a teacher from personal experience.

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Put the shoe on the other foot... Would you let you TF's be taught cooking by a ambassador?
Well, s717, if the young lady is an avid outdoor cook and nobody in our troop has ever tried anything mor complicated than Pop tarts and Ramen .... mOst definitely yes! Som #2 and I just heard this story. If any of you in WI have an opportunity to invite this young lady to talk to your unit, open your doors to her!
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The Girl scouts in my area do not want male leaders or god for bid a male to go on the camping trip unless they are fully registered and background checked. And then they complain that Dad's do not spend any time with there daughters

drives me nuts

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Since they have already allowed a male Venturer in the aquatics area, they have set a precedence for accepting them.

 

How much more effective would the male be than the female? Does the female have any knowledge, or experience, in the subject she is being expected to teach? How does the female feel about teaching a subject she knows nothing about? How does she feel about a male, with more knowledge, teaching the subject?

 

How about having them teach it together?

 

GSUSA is not about male vs female.

 

I think it would be a great example to show how to utilize your strengths and work together.

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... How much more effective would the male be than the female? Does the female have any knowledge, or experience, in the subject she is being expected to teach? How does the female feel about teaching a subject she knows nothing about? How does she feel about a male, with more knowledge, teaching the subject?

 

How about having them teach it together?

 

GSUSA is not about male vs female.

 

I think it would be a great example to show how to utilize your strengths and work together.

 

SN, my specific suggestion to the GS mom was to have a couple of guys set up a demonstration that she could walk the cadets through and the boys could tell stories about what works (or not) for them. Conversation fell flat. I really don't know what's rattling around in peoples' heads, so I decided to not press the subject until I heard other folks' experience.

 

The young lady is one of my crew, and she knows the topic from from older siblings and friends (mostly venturers), but never had time to participate in the activity. The stars haven't lined up with her and my female adult leaders. So, the cadets will have a 45 minute lecture which will actually be pretty good. But, decades of girls getting "pretty good" generates a future majority of non-participants.

 

Tried to get my crew president to fit in a "practice day" with her last month, but again: time constraints and the general weirdness of an advisor saying, "You should call her." I think that "plan B suggestion" came off as "too much, too little, to late." I guess since our youth have not bought into Venturing awards, the notion of helping each other with cross-organization projects like these sounds alien.

 

Whatever. I'm really not trying to figure out the kids here. I'm trying to figure out the adults and how far up the chain this attitude goes.

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As a DE I had an eager GSA Exec ask me if we could do a joint camporee and since I had female Venturers attending and that our council and the GSA council had a great relationship my leaders and I agreed. It was a great experience with a few events where the girl scouts and female Venturers challenged the boy scouts to a raft race, cooking contest, and a pioneering tower building. The girls won two of the three events, and everyone had a great time.

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  • 1 month later...
Put the shoe on the other foot... Would you let you TF's be taught cooking by a ambassador?

 

Given the choice between a male instructor and an equally qualified female instructor, I'd choose the female.

Because the boys will pay more attention.

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I have been told by my Silver Award daughter that her daughter will be taught hunting/camping/outdoor skills by her grandfather. End of discussion. :)

 

I'm figuring that she'll have logged more camping/outdoor activities than the average Webelos II boy by the time she's Tiger Cub age. Of course the fact that her grandmother spent many years working the Alaskan lumber for the US Forestry service is just an added plus...... (she was a Daisy Scout for one year.)

 

Stosh

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