“Can I buy a cookie?”
I jumped at the voice of a middle-aged woman, caught completely off guard. I ended up staring at her a little too long because I was at a loss of words for her thinking I was part of Girl Scouts.
I was first asked this question four years ago in seventh grade, when I joined Scouting America, previously known as Boy Scouts of America. With my newly bought scouting uniform plastered onto my body, I nervously marched up and down my neighborhood selling Christmas wreaths for the organization’s annual fundraiser, anxious to approach strangers’ front steps.
That woman was unaware of the changes Scouting has implemented over the years, and I don’t blame her. Scouting has historically had a reputation as a male-dominated organization until 2019, when they began accepting all genders.
Before the organization’s decision to embrace inclusivity, Girl Scouts was the ideal program for females to join. It was founded in 1912, just two years after Boy Scouts of America was established. Boy Scouts emphasized outdoor skills and leadership, while Girl Scouts focused on more “womanly undertakings,” such as sewing and cooking.
Back then, I nervously laughed off the woman’s question and quickly corrected her, because I was embarrassed that someone mistook me for a Girl Scout.
During the time when the organization was still called Boy Scouts of America, girls were excluded from many activities and social organizations that boys attended and participated in. Different genders were expected to maintain a particular persona that prohibited cross-gender activities. This stereotype has been deeply rooted in our nation’s old beliefs and in the formation of this organization.
As Americans began to prioritize gender inclusivity and parents strived for their kids to try new hobbies, Boy Scouts gave in to the pressures from society to reform. Now, nearly 200,000 of over one million members are girls.
As a result of the scouts now accepting all genders, many girls like me are able to find where they belong in the community.
This sense of belonging resonated with me throughout my scouting journey. When I was younger, I fit into the conventional tomboy description. Since I grew up closely with my younger brother, I was always drawn to more sporty and soiled hobbies, like baseball and hiking, over more feminine activities. I yearned for nature and was always excited for my family’s annual national park camping trips.
So when I was deciding on a new extracurricular after the pandemic, the choice of Scouts was clear to me.
I joined the program at a time when many pioneering female founders of our nation’s first girl troops were still active in the organization, making me proud to carry on their legacy. My first year out of the program was slow to start, but nonetheless rewarding. Within the scouting system there was a series of requirements that tests Scouts on different wilderness and life management capabilities.
While many Scouts my age were rushing through the ranks, I wanted to step back and enjoy each moment of the process. I worked on each requirement thoroughly and applied them to my own environment both during outings and in everyday life to the best of my ability. I was also finally able to fulfill my long-awaited desires to participate in backpacking trips, watersports and snow sheltering.
My patience has also led me to learning from some of the most devoted teenage and adult leaders through outings and Scouting programs. I have acquired various life and technical skills from taking leadership roles to guiding younger scouts within the organization, which enhanced my connection building abilities, relating to others on a deeper level.
I recall an outing during my term as a Den Chief, a Scout who mentors younger Cub Scouts, where I was in charge of co-leading a hike through a water cave. It was a chance to take an initiative in that hike by honing not only my orienteering skills but also being dependable in a situation where twenty restless Cub Scouts were susceptible to injuries.
Simultaneously, I was able to overcome my fear of talking to strangers, which built confidence in my communication skills and myself.
As Scouting has become an integral part of my identity, I realize that service was my way of giving back to the program. I have actively participated in conservation service projects that made a positive impact on the environment.
My Eagle Project, a requirement to obtain the last rank of an Eagle Scout, was one of those ways. After attending many environmental projects in the past, I was inspired to take action by organizing the installation of a pollinator low water-use garden for a nonprofit produce organization, the Almost Eden Garden Project. It was a hefty amount of labor and perseverance from everyone that volunteered to help. But walking away from it, I felt accomplished that I made an impact on my community.
Scouting allowed me to embrace my adventurous side in a world often dominated by pressures to succeed and to stick to routine.
But the impact of Scouting extends beyond the program itself. Inclusivity in Scouting is only the beginning of a more accepting society of breaking gender norms. We already see younger generations thriving in co-ed extracurriculars such as robotics and sports, which are opportunities that weren’t widely available just a few decades ago.
As I wrap up this chapter of my life with my official announcement of becoming an Eagle Scout this spring, I have reflected on how far I’ve grown. I have also realized how far this country has grown to give women the opportunity to stand side by side with men.
All around us, we can see females in career paths that were once considered unattainable: from leading in science and technology, to serving in the military, to holding the highest offices in government and business.
Organizations like Scouting of America are the stepping stones of a future that will continue inspiring little girls and boys to take that leap forward together, united as one.
