Girls Scouts vs Boy Scouts when it comes to Woodworking Badge - my rumblings.

[Jim Becker]

The Boy Scouts haven't done the best job explaining the whole boy/girl thing even to members, but my understanding is once girls in the program reach Boy Scout age the boys and girls go into troops separated by sex.

I don't believe that's correct...but I could be wrong. I have no game in this hunt; however, I certainly hope there is no segregation by gender as that defeats the purpose of being inclusive.

[Brian Elfert]

I don't believe that's correct...but I could be wrong. I have no game in this hunt; however, I certainly hope there is no segregation by gender as that defeats the purpose of being inclusive.

Cub Scouting is co-ed, however once they leave Cub Scouts the program splits into separate boy and girl troops. It took me a bit of digging to find the following on the Scouting website:

"Using the same curriculum as the Boy Scouts program, Scouts BSA is scheduled to launch in February 2019, enabling all eligible youth ages 11-17, to earn the Eagle Scout rank. Scouts BSA will be single gender – all girl troops or all boy troops. This unique approach allows the organization to maintain the integrity of the single-gender model while also meeting the needs of today’s families."

[Jim Becker]

That's disappointing to me, but I guess it's a subjective thing.

[Brian Elfert]

I suspect the reason has mostly to do with youth protection. They probably figure the mixing of males and females in that age range could lead to issues.

The national Scouting organization may file bankruptcy due to all the sex abuse cases from 60s, 70s, and early 80s. Youth protection was implemented in 1988 or 1989 to help stop sexual abuse. They take youth protection seriously. Our troop got a visit from higher ups because someone had reported an adult going into a shower with a boy. It turned out to be a father with his son so it was okay.

[Jim Becker]

I understand that's likely the thinking, but it doesn't actually solve the problem. Only societal change will do that...and education... But we have gotten off the original topic here, anyway.

[Roger Feeley]

My take from the boy scout requirements are that you would have a tough time finding someone with a brace and bit. I gave my dads B&B away a long time ago.

all due respect to the neanders out there.

[Doug Weiner]

Gender based education is just plain foolish. Back in the day as in the 1970’s I took electric shop instead of typing. Made sense then since I was planning to be a secretary. I can rewire an electric outlet but I’ve spent the last 35 years banging away at a keyboard with three finger typing.

[Roger Feeley]

It seems to me that the objective of both badges should be to build the necessary confidence to be an apt learner. If the scout, after completing the badge, doesn't say, "oh, I could never do that" but says, "I've never done it but I bet I could." then the badge effort has been worthwhile.

I attended a class at Home Depot once on putting up tile. I didn't exit the class knowing everything I needed to know but I did think, "Yeah, I can do this." To me, that teacher did his job.

[Lee DeRaud]

I attended a class at Home Depot once on putting up tile. I didn't exit the class knowing everything I needed to know but I did think, "Yeah, I can do this." To me, that teacher did his job.

There's usually the "if he can do it, anybody can" effect in play there.

[Biff Phillips]

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That's disappointing to me, but I guess it's a subjective thing.

Jim, it's just not feasible to have Boy Scouts be completely coed.
Remember the ages are something like 11-18.
How are you going to do an overnight co-ed camping trip when the mixed genders are in puberty?
What about issues of a leader being a different gender than the kids?
It would be nice in an ideal world to mix them at all ages, but it's a liability issue.

It's hard enough to get parents to volunteer to be leaders.. the troop my kids were in required
many hours of training, background checks, and other invasions of privacy.. I understand, the scouts
have to protect themselves, but it sure makes it more difficult to get volunteers. Then to ask parents
to watch a mixed gender program? What happens parents accuse the troop of letting her daughter get pregnant on an outing? It doesn't matter if that's what actually happened, there will be a lot of outrage.

[Jim Becker]

Bill, so-called "church camps" have been doing coed experiences since even before I was a kid in the 1970s so I just don't buy that to be a problem that isn't solvable. All of this is is societal gridlock that is learned and it's all also solvable if folks actually want to do it. In fact, gender based segregation actually reinforces inappropriate behaviors, IMHO. I'm not the only one who feels this way, but I also understand and accept that others may take the opposite view. And just to be clear, separate "housing" is certainly appropriate, but separate educational experiences do not have to be the norm.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Keep in mind that the Girl scout curriculum was probably developed by women and assuming that women scout leaders will be in charge. I see it as a prime example of sexism in dumbing down by stereotype that females are not capable of certain tasks. When I took part in reenactments, the only way to afford the period garb was if I made it myself. So I bought a sewing machine and had my MIL give me some basic lessons. I started sewing outfits for me, the kids and my wife. Neither my wife or MIL, could figure out how it did it without buying patterns. To me it was like constructing a dog house. I didn't need a pattern to build a dog house. I took an existing piece of their clothes that fit, made some measurements, allowed an extra amount for seams and started cutting and sewing. I even made the buttons and fasteners from deer antler or sea shells. I do not understand why the girl scout's program for wood working is as it is, but, at least they have one. My wood turners club is picking up women members at the rate of about one woman for every three new men. When I started three years ago, there were only two, now about a ten. One of them makes incredible finials.

Another observation, like many hobbies, wood working is no longer the thing most fathers in the 1950's did out in the garage for recreation. It has become rather specialized at a time, when hobbyists of all kinds seem to be dropping in population due to competition from TV, computers, attendance to their kids sports and the strains of job demands. But as more and more men seem to be vegetating in front of the TV or Computer, a growing number of women are taking up traditionally male hobbies. at our club, it seems to be a trend for the very young women (high school to beginning college) or the new empty nestors looking for something to do with their time.