The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #34899   Message #476826
Posted By: Fibula Mattock
05-Jun-01 - 12:22 PM
Thread Name: BS: Help Girl Scouts stay inclusive of all!
Subject: RE: BS: Help Girl Scouts stay inclusive of all!
Wow, I've only just read this thread. I hadn't realised some of these issues had been raised. I take a Girl Scout pack (except they're called Guides in the UK). The Guide Association here is very into including everyone - except males - into their units. They changed many aspects of their system to do so - which I think is great. For instance, when the girls were enrolled to the pack and chose to make their Promise, they used to promise to "Do my duty to God". That has now been changed to "Love my God", with an emphasis on the religious diversity. I still don't feel this is enough - it's not a promise I would make, and I've made it clear that if, as a leader, I am required to do so, I'll leave. Nor am I terribly happy about other aspects, but I love working with the girls and am glad to give my time.
The issue of sexual orientation has never arisen through any of the training I've recieved. I'm going to check on that, though I do imagine that like the Girl Scouts, UK Guiding is inclusive.
Just as a final dig - I'm not sure what it's like in the States, but over here Girl Guide leaders seem to receive more training and stricter safety guidelines than the Boy Scouts, which is why it always seems to be Boy Scout expeditions going wrong and young kids falling off mountains...