Scouts & Guides

[TwoLeftSocks]

I've been reading and learning alot on this board lately, though not necessarily posting, but I was wondering if anyone would has any thoughts / could talk me though how having Scouts & Guides as separate organisations fits with feminism.

For reference I'm an Asst. Beaver Scout leader for a colony of 20 boys and two girls - I'd be more than happy to have a more even mix.

That's pretty much what we have. Scouts and Guides have pretty comparable activities. Some prefer to do them in a single sex environment. We do joint events. It's a shame there isn't a retained 'boys only' section as I think single sex can be as beneficial for boys as it is for girls. It's the scout associations choice not to have this though, nothing was 'forced' on them.

"I'd like to see all activities accessible and seen as genderless and offered to all who wish to participate."

One of the things that is clear in the research that Girlguiding does is that the young members really value having that "girl only" space. I do think that it is a shame that the boys don't get that.

www.girlguiding.org.uk/about_us/what_makes_guiding_special.aspx

I'd never really heard anyone wishing for a boys only scouts so I'll be interested to see how it goes with our new two girls in the mix, after about 18 months as boys only.

So far they've been in there showing the boys how to scale rope ladders and the best ways to pick up slugs so I'm not really expecting much change in the group.

Lottie, yes, when I was a guide leader we did similar. We also did fundraising for girls' charities and young people's charities. The Guides have great facilities for camping and outdoor activities.

OP, yes of course running the Beavers is hugely worthwhile too. DD did both Brownies and Beavers.

There are lots of boys' only activities - Boys' Brigade, football clubs etc. The Scouts and Guides are entirely independent of each other. There is no reason for both to be single sex or both to be mixed. They are not connected.

People have their choice of boy only, girl only and mixed. The woodcraft folk are gender neutral as well.

I think there's a role for female only spaces, particularly if they strive to offer a mix of activities that might traditionally be thought of as appropriate for girls and boys. As a result of some weird demographic my younger dd's school class is hugely boy-dominated. She more than holds her own , but I like the fact that she can experience a space that isn't dominated by boys at Rainbows.