Do the Girl Scouts Really Help Girls?
1912 Founder Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low with two Girl Scouts
With the bishops in the United States investigating the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) this question seems to be on a lot of people’s minds. Do the Girl Scouts really help girls? In many ways, what they teach goes against how I want to raise my own girls, but I never really thought about why. The Girl Scouts have this whole attitude about them that is just, frankly, not feminine.
I grew up with the “you can be anything a man can be” cultural message, and I took it seriously. As a child, I tried to run faster, climb higher, and make better grades than the boys in my classes. Heck, I even hauled hay and shot rifles (still can) as a teen. When Hillary Clinton made her comment about staying home and baking cookies and having teas, I even remember thinking how proud I was that I was just like that in my twenties. Nope, no standin’ by my man like Tammy Wynette. At that point I was a single mother, and an unstoppable force as a scientist on a career path of success (so I stupidly told myself). Older, wiser, and full of regrets, I have come to regard such messages to young women as dangerous to the institution of the family – and to a young woman’s own sense of happiness and fulfillment.
Enough of the trip down memory lane. Do Girl Scouts help girls now?
Rather than base my opinion only on my personal experiences though, I decided to ask my friend Mary Rice Hasson about it. She is also a mother of seven and a lawyer who serves as a Fellow in Catholic studies at the conservative think tank in Washington D.C., Ethics and Public Policy Center. She is an expert on these issues, particularly on Catholic women’s views of faith, conscience and family. A LifeNews article cites her as agreeing that the bishop investigation is needed, and then quotes her.
“A collision course is probably a good description of where things are headed,” she said. “The leadership of the Girl Scouts is reflexively liberal. Their board is dominated by people whose views are antithetical to the teachings of the Catholic Church.”
That got my attention. I asked her about the Girl Scouts, and for advice about raising girls in general. I am more interested in guiding principles than details. I was struck by this advice: “My parents raised us girls (7 of us) to believe we could do anything—but to value motherhood and to retain the sense of femininity that flourishes by embracing womanhood, not aping masculinity.” Bingo!
Value motherhood. Be feminine. Embrace womanhood. Do not ape masculinity.
At her suggestion, I took a look at the current Girl Scout campaign, TogetherThere, and winced. No, I do not want my girls exposed to such career-oriented myopic hubris; it is all too familiar.
“A girl who doesn’t believe she has what it takes to be a leader isn’t likely to run for mayor one day. A girl who is laughed at by peers for being outspoken in the classroom isn’t dreaming of sitting at the head of the table, running a board meeting. A girl who hides her abilities in science and math won’t find the cure to illnesses that affect us all.”
It almost sounds good, but think about it. The end goal of developing character is not to run for office, be a corporate officer, or become famous for discovering cures. That turns you into an object held up for scrutiny based on what you accomplish professionally, and it sets unreasonable expectations. It is anything but feminine. What about all the girls who do not become those things? What about all the girls who do not even want to become those things? The Get the Facts page is all about becoming a high-profile leader in government, industry, or academia, and how those areas are dominated by men.
There is no mention of the natural leadership position for women – Motherhood.
The slogan for the TogetherThere campaign is “When girls succeed, so does society.” The text goes on to say that the status of women in society is a direct measure of that society’s success. But hang on! Define success. Is a woman only successful if she achieves a leadership position outside the home? Also, by definition, not everyone can be a leader, so instilling this ideology in girls only sets most of them up for unrealistic, false failure, a sense of failure that is not really failure at all. The power of being a woman is not constrained to the office, boardroom, or laboratory. In fact, I would put that way down on the list of ways women can positively influence society.
Further, why isn’t being a mother and raising children listed as success? Why isn’t picking a valiant knight for a husband who dotes on you, provides for you, and admires you for the sacrifices you make to raise your children considered high status?
It has been said that severing ties with Girl Scouts might be a sacrifice for some Catholic families, but I do not agree that it is a sacrifice to forego a social institution with flawed messages for girls. I think our girls might be better prepared for true leadership if they are at home learning to serve their family by doing kind little things like baking cookies, rather than out selling them as little future-activist fund-raisers. Dare I say, they might be better prepared for true success if they understand the magnificent importance of standing by your man.
As for being educated, that is for the edification of their souls and development of their God-given gifts, and it is a journey they will be on for their whole lives if someone does not convince them the only purpose of education is to earn a title on a business card…or patches, pins, stars, and crests, or something.
Come to think of it, yes, we will definitely be foregoing the green uniforms and sashes for something a little more mysterious and lacy – like chapel veils. [Did she just say that out loud?] Sure did.
Image source: Wikipedia
Category: Featured, Parenting, Social Issues
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Having read much of the material that was produced by the early Girl Guiding movement here in the UK, I have found myself becoming increasingly dismayed by shape it has taken in the last fifty years or so.
Although sports and outdoor pursuits were widely encouraged in the early movement, badges and awards from that period show that womanly skills were deemed essential in giving girls the tools they would need to be useful, resourceful women, particularly in their future roles as potential wives and mothers.
Proficiency badges such as homemaker, child-nurse, laundress, cook, needlewoman, sick-nurse, thrift and domestic service have now been replaced with those for football, chocolate, film lover and circus skills. I think this speaks volumes about the changed ideals of the Girl Guide/Scout movement!
JennyG, Thank you!
Dear Stacy, Homemaking and care-giving are honorable vocations. When new people I meet ask me what I do, I tell them that I’m a homemaker and I say it with pride. Some of the reactions are amusing. Cultural expectations will change as we gently remind others, that a successful woman is more than being a success in the boardroom.
Julie, Homemaker with pride here too! Thank you.
The greatest influence on a girl is her parents. That said Girl Scouts providing a good leader also has an influence on girls. HOWEVER…if the leader is actually using the Girl Scouts material then girls will be learning porn and a socialist slant. This from a organization that is liberal,progressive and feminist. Girl Scouts troops no longer have a workable program and have become simply social clubs. Thank goodness, because if girls were to go to the GSUSA blog written by a weirdo with a history of songs such as Rainy Days are for SEX etc and also he is shown masturbating under shredded newspaper they would be led to sexual positions and how to have a Threesome. Thank goodness for the monitoring or they would still have this up. This group has little regard for girls and in fact shows them role models that are lesbians, socialist and all little girls are in fact mbrs. of Obamas YOUTH CORP. Yes…Janet Napolitano and GSUSA Michelle Tompkins signed an agreement making all of our children mbrs. NICE??? I am a 68 yr. old Lifetime Mbr. of Girl Scouts and I can only say that BETRAYED is what all girls and leaders can consider themselves. He who owns the youth owns the country and we need to be very prayerful and afraid. NO Catholic girl can be a part of this group as it is not in keeping with our faith or of any moral person for that matter. God Bless
I needed to read this. All of my daughter’s friends are in Girl Scouts and she would love to join a troop. I said no obviously because of their support of Planned Parenthood but I never thought of the points that you made. Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you for your thoughtful blog entry regarding the Girl Scouts of the USA’s bias against the traditional female identity. You have put into words what many parents have been trying to get their finger on. You are wise to listen to what Mary Rice Hasson has to say. The Progressive push to “activate” girls away from individual character-building towards liberal group-think is startling. Research GSUSA and WAGGGS activity with the United Nations and you will find American Girl Scout cookie dollars fund advocacy for “sexual rights” for children without parental consent around the world. Why? Because explicit sex ed teaches children how to reduce population through abortion and contraception, lowering the world’s “carbon footprint” in the name of Global Warming environmentalism. The “Go Green” message of today’s Girl Scouts activism has entwined ecology with birth control. Everyone should find the Jaffe memo that Abby Johnson shared in a LifeSiteNews.com article that reveals the master plan that has been in Planned Parenthood’s playbook since 1969. Start Googling.
“You are wise to listen to what Mary Rice Hasson has to say.”
Wise and fortunate. I’m so glad I asked her about it, and we are all fortunate for the research and advocacy that she does.
I think that might be what is wrong with me. I was brought up to be able to do anything a man can do. And I can, I can build a house, put a new engine in a car, good at sports, can fish and hunt, etc…I’ve always been able to support myself. But now I am almost 50, and a single mother for the second time around, and a grandmother.(2 men have left me) Almost crippled, from the back breaking labor I have done all of my life. And all I ever really wanted to do was be a great wife and mom. So I agree with this article.
Tammy, I sooooo understand that. You are a courageous woman it seems and a great woman. Hugs, sister.
If you look into the early days of the Scouting movement, you find that the leadership sought for role models within cultures grounded in the family. It sought to put the youth in an outdoor setting in which to teach them the family skills that develop good character and preserves for us a history that would advance mankind without destroying families and the earth upon which all families depend. So, in that sense, the “environmental movement” has always been there within Scouting. But that has been hijacked and turned away from its original path, and the meanings of the human family have been distorted for the advancement of a philosophy of life that is soul-less.
Among those sought out for advice and leadership in the early days of Scouting was a man named Charles Eastman, a Native American. He was raised as a traditional by his grandmother, and went on to become a doctor. He wrote a book, “Indian Boyhood” which captures the experiences that molded his exemplary character.
One of the things Eastman (“Ohiyesa”) wrote about was how Native Americans almost universally raised boys and girls together in the first years to learn the things “of the camp.” At a certain age, the boys would be separated to learn tracking, hunting and war skills. A boy was expected to learn the skills necessary to provide for and defend his culture. The girls would further develop the skills necessary to provide a safe, clean, efficient and happy camp that would nourish the future generations of that culture.
All these skills, both for boys and girls, were infused by the Elders with stories and legends developed in each tribe to explain the “spirit” behind each skill. Each skill had a “female” and a “male” spirit that emerged in the legends told about each….. and all was related to a Great Mystery that fuses together Nature in a whirling, Mysterious Way that makes each part relate to the great mysterious whole.
This developed within the soul of each individual a character that gave meaning to the skills learned far beyond the mundane tasks to which each was assigned. It was expected of each to exude beauty and meaning in their exploits that would make the ancestors proud, and to reach out to “ten generations” into the future with their beautiful lives. This made it possible to bring more and more beauty and wisdom as the generations passed, to preserve and pass on , through the skills, a spiritual “message” sent to “The Great Mystery” as a Blessing Way to and from and through that Divine Spirit.
It is sad that the Scouting movement has been attacked by those without an intention of connecting the task with the Spirit of Beauty and the Beauty of Spirit, which alone can satisfy the soul and give meaning and purpose to the family, the tribe and the nation.
A role without a relationship to Spirit is a dead thing, a simple name on a business card, a bank account with dead numbers on it. It is a soul-less thing. And it is killing the spirit of the youth, shaming our ancestors, and destroying the hopes of generations yet to be born.
Doc, Wow I didn’t know all of that but it just seems natural that there would a celebration of the roles of each gender. “Spirit of Beauty and Beauty of Spirit” I like it! Thank you for the lesson.
I think it is about how a leader presents it. Because as a leader I am able to teach them about God an how to succed as a woman with out the equal man thing. We pray together, we share and become close! They help in the comunity eccetra. The oppurtunaties are just great to be able to share and teach about GOD. I have heard rumores, but so far that is all they are.
Rita, I’m sure you are a good leader! That’s wonderful that you teach about God too.
If…you consider things you have heard are only rumors then you have not done the responsible thing and checked. Your girls need for you to be a role model. Consider this…If you are registering $$$ if…you bought cookies$$$ then YOU funded an organization that has an evil intent towards girls. http://www.100questionsforthegirlscouts.org http://www.honestgirlscouts.com http://www.girlscoutswhynot.com http://www.speaknowgirlscouts.com All of these sites are managed by women who are watching out for your daughters and their is no benefit except the knowing that our world will be a safer place without the Girl Scouts. There is absolutely no excuse for thinking that any of the things you have heard are rumors. Journeys program book Agent of Change has PORN in Persopolis with a girl spraying her crotch and saying…Welcome to Paradise Gentlemen. Of course you can get a sticker to cover this if you like. Disgusting. Girl Scouts are a liberal,progressive,feminist group and a large majority of their role models are lesbians and socialists and pro abortion people. I so wish non of what I am saying was true. You see I am 68 and have been a GS since the second grade. I could cry and have but our girls deserve us to have courage and to proclaim to all once we know the truth. Arm yourself with fact and then spread the word. Tough job but so necessary. God Bless
What if you don’t find a man to support you? Then it’s very helpful to have a higher position in the work world to support oneself. What if the husband dies or becomes disabled or leaves you for a younger, more beautiful wife? What if husband loses his job? It’s better to be over prepared than under prepared. What if life doesn’t go the way you want it to? No, not have every person can be the CEO, but how about middle management. Life is too complex, people are too complex to lump all all women into the Happy Homemaker role. It’s probably good to have a ride range of skills for both inside and outside the home. And children do grow up and move out.
Sweet Stacy—this is quite beautiful—true, Catholic, femininity. God bless you and the incredible Catholics like Mary Rice Hasson who embrace God’s amazing plan for women.
Jane… I am sorry you were esposed to such garbage! How ever Jane I would much rather take my chances on going to hell than missing an oportunity in teaching children about the TRUTH and how they can make a true difference by fighting against pp, than sitting back and alowing pp to fill our girls with the nonsence they are feeding the world. The time is NOW to armor our children at 5-6 than wait when they are 13 and older. If they learn now about God and HIS plan for each of us than it will be easier for tham to see the lies coming from the other side. I mean daily there is a battle for sexualation of woman on T.V. There are NO barries any more,there are barly any shows left that are good family oriented moral lessons eccetra… So given a choice to stay home and watch T.V or go to an elderly’s home an pray, play games,do minor choire’s. Where they are taught to give rather than ricieve. I truely believe children learn better by good examples verse being told. So girl scouts as in any other activaty has it’s bad apples,but the change starts one person at a time!!!…Unfortunaly the world has become a VERY SELFISH place, but a step at a time, one seed at a time, eventualy the good people will continue to merge and rise up angaist the otrocities of this world. But it starts with us woman!
Stacy, That is the part I love about the gs. As a leader I have the perfect oportunity to help guide and teach about motherhood,feminity and so on… As a child I had very good leaders, and it was not be better than a man matto. It was about being a girl and respect our bodies,and others. Ettiquet, yes we had out door activeties and girl stuff mostly. i do not have to participate in all functions,especialy funding. I pay out of pocket for my troop and am very carefull of what we participate in. The journey books do not have porn in them! But intruduces the girls to friendships and how important they are. The badges are there to pick an chose from. There are many about comunity services and so on. I just feel really really strongly if we want to change it we have to get off the fence and start doing some thing about it.
Porn? Masturbation? The only filth I see is in some of the comments on this blog post. My daughter has earned badges in first aid, painting, and learning to prepare simple meals for herself. When she sells cookies she develops confidence and I can’t even list the common-sense skills she learns with regards to handling money and responsibility. My daughter’s troop has multiple camping trips, and they encourage outdoor activities. Not to mention the community service projects and sense of caring for others.
What a shame that some of you try to cast a wonderful organization for young girls in such a despicable manner.
Brace yourself, Tracey, because now Girl Scouts are advocating to LEGALIZE PROSTITUTION. Before you dismiss this fact, be aware that annual World Thinking Day donations go straight to WAGGGS, no strings attached. Now, Google “Bali Global Youth Forum Declaration PDF” and know that Girl Scouts were on the Steering Committee and not only helped set the event agenda with “sexual rights”, but also guided the conversation to result in a declaration to “decriminalize sex work” calling it “decent employment” for “young people” ages 10 to 24. This is in addition to the usual demands for government-funded sex ed/contraception/abortion without parental knowledge and the push for “gender equity” which is not about women and girls (which would be about equality of the “sexes”) but the Gay-Lesbian agenda of mixing and confusing the sexes by defining “gender choice” as a psycho-babble determination having no regard to a person’s physical sex. God is calling everyone to see Truth. Please educate yourself.