By Bailey Hosfelt 
Following a successful Sunday brunch, I was walking uptown when an exuberant group of elementary schoolers wearing sashes and shouting “Girl Scout cookies” caught my attention. As I approached them, the girls immediately rattled off fan favorite flavors and informed me that they were $4 a box. Regardless of the fact that eggs florentine had recently filled my stomach and emptied my wallet, I shelled out the necessary amount of cash to snag a box of Samoas.
Over the next few weeks, I stress-ate the cookies like it was my major. During my coconut, caramel and chocolate covered binge, I made two realizations: the size of today’s cookies are exponentially smaller than they were a decade ago, and, more importantly, almost every badge I earned during my time as a Girl Scout upheld outdated and dichotomous gender roles.
When I think back to my five-year affiliation with the organization, I recall meetings focused on simple activities such as answering a phone politely, dining etiquette, sewing or cooking. While I was learning to say “Hosfelt residence, this is Bailey speaking” on command my male classmates were becoming skillful Boy Scouts, studying outdoor survival and scientific findings.
The Girl Scout mission statement states that “Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.” This testimony presents the idea that the organization instills progressive ideals of womanhood in a gender-equal society. However, the skills needed to achieve many of the girls’ badges, clearly are traditionally femine.
Girl Scout badges — both in title and content — tend to refer to stereotypically feminine activities. In an analysis of Girl and Boy Scout manuals, sociologist Kathleen Denny cited Girl Scout badges named “Baby Sitter,” “Looking Your Best” and “Sew Simple” as primary examples of their lack of substance. Although the Looking Your Best badge discusses personal hygiene, it also involves girls deciding which colors look best with their skin tones and finding accessories to complement their outfits. The Boy Scouts’ “Fitness” badge is most equivalent to this feminine counterpart. Earning the male merit badge involves more substantial activities like completing a food diary and informing a family member about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
In an attempt to match the science education that the Boy Scouts receive, the Girl Scouts have introduced STEM activities into their program. This is certainly a step in the right direction towards encouraging young girls to become interested and aspire to STEM careers, but their integration as badges falls short of this ideal.
The Boy Scout badge for learning about astronomy is called “Astronomer” while the Girl Scouts’ is “Sky Search.” Similarly, the male badge for geology is called “Geologist” while the females’ badge for the same scientific study is “Rocks Rock.” By assigning playful names to the Girl Scout badges, girls are encouraged to become attracted to the title, but not the specific occupation.
This is not the case in the male organization. All merit badges earned by Boy Scouts have straightforward, descriptive names.
In contrast, Girl Scout badges tend to be titled more ambiguously. Names like “Nuclear Science,” “Reptile and Amphibian Study,” “Wilderness Survival” and “Personal Management” demonstrate a clear focus of the male group’s activities. Conversely, “Science of Style,” “Animal Helpers,” “Outdoor Adventurer” and “Think Big” contain imprecise buzz words that do not reveal the specific intent of Girl Scout pursuits.
On the whole, the process to receive a merit badge for Boy Scouts is more meticulous than for Girl Scouts. Badges such as “Archery” or “Bird Study” require outdoor, hands-on activity for boys. The scouts must perform the activity and complete a report of questions before receiving the accolade. “Independence” and “My Best Self,” popular Girl Scout badges, rarely require female members to get their hands dirty. They involve more hypothetical discussion, as opposed to concrete action.
Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are both value-based youth development organizations that build the character of young Americans. Therefore, the two programs should complement each other instead of promoting divided gender stereotypes. Girl Scouts are taught to be creative and domestic while Boy Scouts are rugged and masculine. This reinforced gender-based divide is counterproductive and cumbersome in a society that strives to push past patriarchal norms.
Gender should not limit what an organization will and will not expose to its members. By integrating the skills taught in each group, the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America alike would become more robust, all-inclusive institutions that deserve to stay in our society.obust, all-inclusive institutions that deserve to stay in our society.
