Boy Scouts

[Guest MrAwesome]

I've always wanted to join the boy scouts, I always liked the idea of survival and camping. But I had to join the girl scouts! >_< well actually it's brownies, but same difference. Well, I was thinking and it occured to me, "I wonder if I can join the Boy Scouts now?" Since I'm going to start living as a full time male. I was wondering, if any of you knew about FtMs joining boy scouts? I wasn't sure if we were allowed?

~ Lewis

[Guest April63]

I have no idea. I'm a Boy Scout. I know you need to be under 18, but I'm not sure how much identity checking they do.

April

[MaryEllen]

These are the qualifications for being a boy scout.

http://www.housatonicbsa.org/Boy%20Scouts/...TIONS%20_2_.pdf

http://www.bsa-discrimination.org/html/girls-top.html

What you should do is call your local scout chapter and ask what their policies are on transboys joining the scouting program.

Good luck.

MaryEllen

[Guest Cody_T]

I wish I could join too, but I'm over 18 . Maybe as a leader in the future. I spent a great part of my childhood wanting to be a boy scout (rather vocally), but I had to be a brownie instead. Not as tasty as it sounds. If I were you, I'd go for it. The worst they can do is turn you away.

One problem might be that they are a christian organization, and they had that huge stink over kicking out gay boyscouts a few years or so ago. So you'd have to be pretty stealth to get away with it. If they know you're trans, there's a reallly good chance it won't fly.

[Guest Martin]

When I was younger, I also really wanted to join Boy Scouts. When my mother convinced me that they wouldn't let me in, I tried Girl Scouts. UGH! I did NOT like Brownies. The projects weren't nearly as cool, and I never really fit in. If I had been accepted by Boy Scouts as a guy, I think I would have gotten a lot out of it. Now I strongly dislike them, though, because of their stance on sexual orientation. Unless and until they change that, I will not support them.

As for your question, I doubt they'd accept you. Sexual orientation and gender identity are two different things, but I somehow doubt the BSA know that.

[Guest Zabrak]

When I was younger, I refused to join the girl scouts. My mother put me in it and all I did was sit in the conner and pout. lol So, they pulled some strings and got me into the Cubs. I'm not sure if you have those but it use to be boys-only. I was let in with my female body and none of the boys cared or said anything. We built wooden cars, went camping and much more. It was really fun when I was younger.

[Guest Liam]

Like Cody said, the Boy Scouts aren't exactly known as a particularly tolerant group when it comes to issues of sexual orientation, and I'd assume the same intolerance would extend to gender identity as well. However, there is a program run through the Boy Scouts that is co-ed. It's for young men and women ages 14-20, and it's called Venturing. So while it isn't an all-male group, as I'm sure you and many of the rest of us would like to be in, it at least would let you be in a scouting group that wasn't exclusively for females. Here's the link: http://www.scouting.org/venturing.aspx

[Guest April63]

I wouldn't call the BSA intolerant, just not accepting. But anyway, oddly somehow, I did forget about Venturing. Thanks for bringing it up, Liam. Girls can be Venturers, but not Boy Scouts. The Venture program has some parts of the Boy Scout program, but it is really it's own thing. I'm a Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, and Venture Scout, but as I said, they are really three different programs.

April

[Guest Emily1]

I always wanted to be in the girl scouts, but never said anything to my parents. Does anyone know how accepting they are of males?

[Guest April63]

I've never really wanted to be a Girl Scout. I only want the cookies .

April

[Guest Jackson]

When I was little, I wanted to join the Boy Scouts. But since I grew up in a very rural farming area, we had something called 4-H which was really cool. It was a co-ed organization which had a lot of things you could do. You could grow crops, show and judge animals, sew, knit, cook, and even judge land and soil. I kicked butt in the landjudging competitions. A lot of the county farms are involved in 4-H and the other way around.

[Sally]

I was a Cub Scout very briefly, I wanted tobe a Blue Bird and go through the Camp Fire Program - then it was girls only, they had to except boys and modify the program because there wasn't a male alternative. The Boy Scouts already had the Girl Scouts so they have the alternative - they aren't the same but the legal issues are cloudy enough to continue as 'seperate but equal' which didn't work in racial segregation and it doesn't work in gender segregation either.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Evan_J]

One problem might be that they are a christian organization, .....

I never knew that.

Should have figured it though with all the "inappropriate touching" happening. lol

No offense to the Christians...I am one also

[Sally]

Now Evan, it didn't say Catholic!

Sally goes to sit in the corner.

Yes it was started as a Christian organization with lofty goals and great ideals.

That's how a lot of things got started, like "the Crusades"

Christians can be turned into angry mobs as easily as anybody else.

Somewhat Synical Sally

[Guest Evan_J]

......'seperate but equal' which didn't work in racial segregation and it doesn't work in gender segregation either.

Darn right!!!

And I can't comment in posts about Catholics Don't 'cha know? When I resigned they forbade me. -Something about "if you can't say anything nice" lol

[Guest Cody_T]

Darn right!!!

And I can't comment in posts about Catholics Don't 'cha know? When I resigned they forbade me. -Something about "if you can't say anything nice" lol

Oh I think I've heard that one... doesn't it end "we'll probably beat you to it"?

Zabrak- another case of Canada leading our continent in not screwing up little things like scouting and marriage... to quote wikipedia: "In 1992, co-ed Scouting was an option for all program sections and became policy for all sections in 1998". How I wish I'd lived in Canada. All my pouting got me was the opportunity to quit girl scouts, because sitting in the corner didn't really contribute to everyone's fun... and then I got to spend the next rest of my life wishing I was a boy scout. It's one of the few things that I'm actually extremely bitter about.

Emily- I'd guess the girl scouts are about as accepting as the boy scouts. But like I said, the worst that will happen is they say no. If you really want to do it, it's probably at least worth looking into it, even if they don't let you.

[Guest Liam]

I always wanted to be in the girl scouts, but never said anything to my parents. Does anyone know how accepting they are of males?

Girl Scouts are actually a little more accepting than Boy Scouts. They don't explicitly discriminate against LGBT people like the Boy Scouts do, and many of the Girl Scout camps I used to go to were filled with lesbian counselors. I even know of some trans men who, as adults, held positions in Girl Scouts. Heck, I did last summer, though I wasn't out. However, I don't know how they feel about accepting trans women. But I'd say you have a better shot than with the Boy Scouts. Your best bet is to find a troop that you know would be accepting. Girl Scout registration forms aren't super into verifying your identity, from what I remember, so if you can find a troop leader who is sympathetic to your situation, I'd say you might have a decent shot.

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Idea for you here...

If you are too old to joint the Scouts (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts etc) but want to participate, then join as an assistant Scoutmaster, Packmaster, whatever. The adult leaders are ALWAYS looking for help. You get to stay with the leadership group, but work with the kids.

Most scout groups have a sponser, usually a church or service organization, Check around - call the local council - and I don't think there is a lot of questioning if you hit it off with the actal scoutmaster- just as long as you are dependable and willing to help.

I did it for years, never wanting to take on a lot of obligation as a troop leader. Its fun. Todays kids need all the help older people can give. I don't think your TS needs to come into it unless you specifically get asked. And I don't think of us TS as pediaphiles because we are usually on the victim side, anyway - grin.

Just a thought.

Lizzy

[Guest Emily1]

Emily- I'd guess the girl scouts are about as accepting as the boy scouts. But like I said, the worst that will happen is they say no. If you really want to do it, it's probably at least worth looking into it, even if they don't let you.

Yah, I wish, but im 17, so id b a little old

Also, Id rather not bother being an adult leader, so rly, its just a little too late for me with regards to that one... Oh well, there are plenty of other things I can do

-Emily

[Guest Zabrak]

It's good to be Canadian sometimes. Our goverment is in a real mess right now, though. So much fighting between the parties.

[Guest April63]

So Canada has "Scouts" and the US has Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. What makes Canada so special? Both cater to boys and girls.

April

[Guest Zabrak]

No country is more special then the other - but some people prefer "scouts" and some perfer "boy scouts" or "girl scouts".

[Guest Elizabeth K]

ZABRAK

Meant to tell you

GREAT avatar!

Liz

[Guest Zabrak]

ZABRAK

Meant to tell you

GREAT avatar!

Liz

Thanks, Liz!

[Guest Tammy Maher]

I've always wanted to join the boy scouts, I always liked the idea of survival and camping. But I had to join the girl scouts! >_< well actually it's brownies, but same difference. Well, I was thinking and it occured to me, "I wonder if I can join the Boy Scouts now?" Since I'm going to start living as a full time male. I was wondering, if any of you knew about FtMs joining boy scouts? I wasn't sure if we were allowed?

~ Lewis

OOOOOOKKKKAAAAAYYYY!!!!

I am an eagle scout. Woot i know, but I am ready to give it up in the event of the BSA rejecting my transition. Knowing them they probably will. Anyways...Boy Scouts as in boy scouts would be an unwise choice, but venturing a iguess leg of boy scouts that is co-ed might be a better alternative. My crew...Crew 7, is very laid back I do not believe any of them would shun me for being trans, but who knows. So yeah bottom line looking to join boy scouts join venturing (they don't have too many patches, but rather clinky medals).

Best of luck

Janelle

PS: BSA operates on a "don't ask don't tell" basis