According to a statement from the tech industry CEO who administers the storied organization, the Boy Scouts of America is altering its 114-year-old moniker. This move appears to be an attempt to downplay the fact that boys and girls are fundamentally different.
“Scouting America” is a new name that is sexually neutral and will convey “a really powerful message to everyone in America that they can come to this program and bring their actual selves,” announced Roger Krone, president and CEO of the organization.
Transgender activists, like Krone, utilize the term “true self” to argue against the general acceptance of the fact that men and women have distinct wants and needs. Those who are in favor of transgender rights argue that youngsters, regardless of their biological gender, have the agency to shape their own sexual identities and “gender.”
Krone, who was CEO of defense and healthcare consulting firm Leidos until recently, continued, “They may be who they are, and they will be accepted here.” Additional business moguls serve on the Scouting organization’s National Executive Board.
At a time when more and more young guys are spending time hooked on semi-addictive social media devices, Krone indicated that the organization’s concentration on boys inhibits recruiting.
In 1910, the mission of the Boy Scouts of America was to provide a healthy outlet for the physical energy of city boys via outdoor activities like camping and hiking. Parents in metropolitan areas wanted their sons to develop competence and self-confidence; thus, the program catered to their needs while also acknowledging that young males are different from young girls.
As a result of a shift in perspective, the group began to allow homosexual boys in 2013, gay leaders in 2015, and girls in 2018. On May 7, the Associated Press stated:
“Following a peak of over 2 million members in 2018, the organization now serves just over 1 million youngsters, including over 176,000 girls and young women. This is a significant decrease from the organization’s high point in the past decade. At its height in 1972, membership was about 5 million.”
Few adults voiced their disapproval of the group’s choice to disregard gender differences. According to the AP:
“Bob Brady got to work just days after the news broke that ladies would be admitted. The New Jersey attorney, who is the happy father of two girls and an Eagle Scout himself, excitedly organized a troop for only girls. The lads were overjoyed to have the girls join them during their first weekend meeting with other units, but he saw that several adult leaders were worried. The girls’ typical cheer beside the campfire put their concerns to rest.”
“You could see a difference in the mentality of some of the skeptics who were not sure, and they realized, Wait, these children are exactly the same; they just happen to have ponytails,” Brady said of the doubters. Out of thirteen girls in his group and six thousand girls in the country, his children are among the illustrious Eagle Scouts.
Krone reaffirmed the ideological position that the sexes are functionally the same and that there are no discernible distinctions between them, a view sometimes referred to as “gender differences.”
Even though we are changing our name, our dedication to helping youth become prepared has not wavered. “For life,” Krone said. “In our pursuit of making Scouting a welcoming environment for everyone, we have a straightforward but critical progression in store for you.”
He then asked the Associated Press whether membership was at an all-time low. “It is my responsibility to make it as easy as possible for people to join our group and embrace us as a whole.”
Scouts, according to Krone, should treat one another with dignity and respect, regardless of their intentions or abilities. The statement went on to say that Scouting America offers a secure space where young people may grow into their full potential through mutual respect and learning.
But for millions of young boys who wanted to escape female supervision, conflict, and rivalry, the scouts’ long-standing acknowledgment of these differences has been a draw.
The fact that so few young men identify as transgender also indicates that the transgender-friendly policy is unlikely to attract many new members.
Celebrating the Boy Scouts’ new “inclusive” character, the media were quick to trumpet the organization’s eclipse, ignoring the widespread and valuable acknowledgement that sexes are distinct but equal and complimentary.