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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think boys should be able to do Brownies?

559 replies

PrinceCharming7 · 15/07/2016 20:14

I'm a bit confused why they don't? Girls are allowed to do Scouts/Cubs/Beavers, so why can't boys do brownies?

OP posts:
acasualobserver · 15/07/2016 22:19

if we lived in a completely equal society I'd agree with you but we don't

This, I believe, hits the nail on the head.

WankersHacksandThieves · 15/07/2016 22:20

take it up with the school, why don't you? Ask for safe place for boys

In my experience as a teacher, that safe place has always been the library.

Exactly what we had, then they decided to remove it since other children were littering upstairs so everyone had to be downstairs.... all the boys wanted was somewhere to sit and play board games in their lunch break.

Anyway, we've been promised that at least that will be reinstated somewhere.

And Richy I did read your post, you said groups but then I agree you did say big groups at the end.

It's also not always about people not being bothered to set up separate groups, it's not that easy nowadays (and rightly so). The big organisations have lots of experience in safeguarding etc etc that an individual wouldn't have, including insurance etc.

00100001 · 15/07/2016 22:21

How many people on this thread are in Guiding and want boys to join?

How many people are not in Guiding and want boys to join?

I'd say the percentages would be wildly different.

Aeroflotgirl · 15/07/2016 22:21

lilac 😡😦 at your post, so all boys grow up to be rapists! I hope you don't have a ds with those views. Boys need their own space as much as girls need theirs. I feel that Cubs and scouts should be back to boys only.

echt · 15/07/2016 22:23

Exactly what we had, then they decided to remove it since other children were littering upstairs so everyone had to be downstairs.... all the boys wanted was somewhere to sit and play board games in their lunch break.
Anyway, we've been promised that at least that will be reinstated somewhere.

I hope you get it. The library at my school teems with chess playing, jigsaw puzzling kids at lunchtime. It's so important.

titchy · 15/07/2016 22:24

Adulting - yep fine happy to say you're right and we're all boy-haters stuck in the 19th century if that's what it takes to keep GG girls only.

OP is perfectly entitled to set up her own voluntary activity for craft-loving kids. Go right ahead. Then everyone will be happy.

RitchyBestingFace · 15/07/2016 22:25

Peggy you are talking rubbish.

White WORKING CLASS boys underperform academically compared to their equally disadvantaged peers in other ethnic groups. And so do white working class girls.

Completely different

AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected · 15/07/2016 22:26

How many people on this thread are in Guiding and want boys to join?
How many people are not in Guiding and want boys to join?
I'd say the percentages would be wildly different

Obviously! Because you're not going to get involved with an organisation that you disagree with, that doesn't mean that you can't have a valid opinion about it!

I'm not about the join the Tory party, so do my opinions about them not count?

I have been involved in cubs and voluneered with other childrens activities, but I wouldn't want to be involved in Brownies or have my girls go until they changed their policy

titchy · 15/07/2016 22:26

Hear hear rithcy - and letting white working class boys do brownies really isn't going to address that.

titchy · 15/07/2016 22:28

Actually lots of people are involved with scouts who'd prefer it to be boys only...

DailyFailAteMyFish · 15/07/2016 22:29

You can't have it both ways.
Girls can't have a safe place and also access to boys' spaces so they don't have a safe space.
We've tried 3 scout groups and they are all based on rugby and football, very little badge work. My son doesn't play sports so it's pointless. His friends in brownies do all sorts of exciting things that don't involve sports.
mutter mutter

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/07/2016 22:29

I dunno peg Hun, I've only got one of those nasty girls. Prepping her to steal your sons job in the future though Wink

MoonfaceAndSilky · 15/07/2016 22:30

some girls need a space where they get to relax because they are not being dominated by boys, being run rough shod by boys, being talked over by boys, being 'second bested' by boys.

You seem to have a real downer on boys Shock In my son's class at school it seems to be the girls that dominate the boys and rule the roost but carry on with your boy bashing......

I believe Rainbow/Brownies/Guides should be for girls only and Beavers/Cubs/Scouts for boys only, then both sexes can have their bit of own time. Simple.

AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected · 15/07/2016 22:30

it's also not always about people not being bothered to set up separate groups, it's not that easy nowadays (and rightly so). The big organisations have lots of experience in safeguarding etc etc that an individual wouldn't have, including insurance etc.

It is. Even ones with a structure are hard to get going in an area where they aren't established/familiar, I helped a friend try to set one of these up but as it doesn't have the familiarity and existing exciting trips etc of cubs/scouts, it's very hard woodcraft.org.uk

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/07/2016 22:30

To be fair to Lilac, no girls grow up to be rapists, aero.

Aeroflotgirl · 15/07/2016 22:31

I know, the negativity at boys from some on here is disgraceful, hope these boy haters don't have sons.

echt · 15/07/2016 22:32

You seem to have a real downer on boys shock In my son's class at school it seems to be the girls that dominate the boys and rule the roost but carry on with your boy bashing

That is in your son's particular class, while the poster was talking about the general experience in schools.

Aeroflotgirl · 15/07/2016 22:32

lulac is generalising and what she said was inappropriate!

MrsJaxTeller · 15/07/2016 22:32

Those of you who want boys to join Brownies due to craft activitites - start your own groups up! For fuck sake if you're not happy then do something about it instead of whining Angry.

WankersHacksandThieves · 15/07/2016 22:33

echt

It stopped just before they broke up for summer so we will see what happens when the go back. My son is supposed to be getting support (which he doesn't get) he was bullied at primary school (by girls as well as boys) and is borderline aspergers but becasue he behaves and works hard and doesn't cause anyone any bother he is not seen as a priority.

The outgoing head once complained that it was always girls that came to him with ideas to help in the community and wider and what was wrong with the community spirit of the boys? Not taking into account that the vast majority of the boys were involved in Scouts and BBs etc and were regularly doing community/environmental and community work outside school. But no, that couldn't be them because they are all rapists and murderers...

I don't have a problem with girls attending Scouts though, it is what it is. I also don't know any boys that would go to Brownies though because of the stigma of going to a "girls" thing for a start.

My boys have spent the last 10 years in Scouting and loved it. They din't like sport and would be described as on the geeky side. OP try him with it - if you can get a space that is.

echt · 15/07/2016 22:33

I know, the negativity at boys from some on here is disgraceful, hope these boy haters don't have sons.

Who has said they hate boys? No-one.

rootsorange · 15/07/2016 22:33

WOMEN CAN RAPE, WTF... Of course they can.

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/07/2016 22:34

Well she's not generalising insofar as all rapists are male? That is legal fact.

WankersHacksandThieves · 15/07/2016 22:34

Adulting

Where I live the last person in our area who set up a private boys club ended up carrying out mass murder. I'm sure that would put parents off getting involved in anything similar.

MoonfaceAndSilky · 15/07/2016 22:34

I know, the negativity at boys from some on here is disgraceful, hope these boy haters don't have sons.

One of them has said she has two God help them

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