A couple of weeks ago a young teenage girl came to my house wearing a boy scout uniform. She said they were in the neighborhood selling popcorn for their troop. I bought some but I was surprised that boy scouts now allow girls. Her troop leader came with the product and it had boy scouts on it so I know it wasn’t a fake.
When were girls admitted.
Explorer Posts have been co-ed for several years. Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are still off limits to girls (thankfully).
That's a tricky question. Over 60 years ago (Exploring) or February 1998 (Venturing).
Explorers was previously part of the Boy Scouts of America, and was created over 60 years ago. It was a co-ed program and introduced youth to such vocational education possibilities as law enforcement, aviation, and similar professions.
Although the BSA was generally successful against the ACLU for its other programs, it repeatedly lost attacks against Exploring. Fire Departments or stations, or Police Stations, would sponsor an Explorer Post. Because Explorers required a belief in God, the ACLU argued against the relationships on separation of church and state grounds.
Exploring is now part of the BSA's affiliated Learning for Life nonprofit, which does not require religious beliefs.
Venturing is a co-ed program for youth 14-21. The uniform you saw shouldn't have been a Boy Scout Uniform. The top should have been dark forest green and the pants or shorts, grey.
That's if the youth lady wore a uniform. Venturers select their uniforms - which can be t-shirts, hawaiian shirts, polo shirts, the official uniform, or no uniform at all.
Most Venturing Crews are involved in high adventure.
I'm a huge fan of the Venturing program and will be staffing the next Powder Horn training session for my Council - Powder Horn trains Venturing and Boy Scout leaders, and Venturing Youth (which is new) in high adventure activities. Not quite Wood Badge, but a multi-day program.
I recently spoke to a Venture leader (they are a "crew" instead of a troop). He stresses survival skills, extended backpack camping with very little equipment, tomahawk skills, and sheath knives. Very impressive and he has had some success with inner-city boys and girls. Sounds like a great program.