A century-long tradition is facing a reckoning. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is poised to sever the U.S. military’s longstanding partnership with Scouting America, believing the organization has strayed from its foundational principles. The core issue? A perceived abandonment of traditional values in favor of policies prioritizing inclusivity above all else.
The shift began in 2019 with the admission of girls, a move framed as progress. Yet, the Girl Scouts of America continue to thrive as a separate, dedicated organization, prompting the question: why duplicate efforts? This question is further complicated by the Girl Scouts’ own evolving definition of gender, openly stating that gender isn’t binary and welcoming those who aren’t cisgender boys.
This creates a stark contrast. While girls are welcomed into formerly all-male spaces, the reverse isn’t necessarily true. The Girl Scouts remain a space specifically for girls, while the Boy Scouts – soon to be known simply as Scouting America in 2025 – have effectively erased “boy” from their identity. This pattern, critics argue, reflects a troubling trend of dismantling male-only institutions while safeguarding female-only ones.
The heart of the concern lies in what’s been lost. Scouting America’s original purpose, established in 1910, was to instill patriotism, courage, and self-reliance in young boys. Senator Ted Cruz pointedly noted the organization’s declining membership, suggesting the rebranding was a desperate attempt to mask a deeper problem: a rejection of its core mission.
The Scout Oath, once a guiding principle emphasizing duty to God, country, and self, now feels increasingly out of step with prevailing ideologies. The organization now boasts a Chief Diversity Officer and requires a diversity, equity, and inclusion badge for all Eagle Scouts – a far cry from the vision of its founder, Robert Baden-Powell, and early champions like Theodore Roosevelt.
Joanna Cole, a fourteen-year veteran of the U.S. Army and a drill instructor, offers a compelling perspective. Having served in demanding environments and now working in challenging overseas relief efforts, she firmly believes in the importance of recognizing inherent differences between boys and girls. She argues that the Boy Scouts should focus on building strong young men, future leaders and husbands.
Cole warns that integrating girls into the Boy Scouts weakens the program, as the physical and mental demands may be beyond their capabilities. Conversely, placing boys in the Girl Scouts risks “growing wussy boys,” as they naturally adapt to the behaviors and interests of a traditionally feminine environment. She believes that exposure to different environments can fundamentally alter a child’s development.
The consequences of these changes are already visible. Like other institutions attempting to cater to shifting cultural winds, Scouting America is experiencing a dramatic decline in membership. From 6.5 million boys in 1972, the numbers plummeted to below 800,000 by 2020. The acceptance of gay boys in 2013 and gay leaders in 2015 further accelerated the exodus, culminating in the loss of 400,000 members when the Mormon Church established its own youth program.
Despite attempts to bolster numbers by admitting girls, the gains were minimal – only 176,000 – compared to the millions of boys lost. The story of Scouting America serves as a cautionary tale, a stark illustration of an organization that, in attempting to be everything to everyone, may have ultimately lost its way and its purpose.
