A New Jersey Girl Scout leader says that the Girl Scouts are here to stay, despite the Boy Scouts recently admitting girls, coupled with a name change.
Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey leader Betty Garger says that the Boy Scouts of America are stepping too close to Girl Scouts’ territory.
“We want girls to have a space of their own and I don’t think they‘re going to get that in another organization,” Garger says.
“It’s a man's world. I hate to say that in 2018…women are not seated at the table, whether it’s in a boardroom or elected positions…we’re not 50 percent. We need our girls to lift each other up and that is what the Girl Scouts do,” says Garger.
The Boy Scouts of America say that they are changing their name to Scouts BSA in order to be more inclusive. Girls have recently been allowed to join in along with their male counterparts.
But Garger says that the Girl Scouts work every day to adapt and change their program to better serve girls’ needs and to give girls the best chances to succeed in society.
“We want our girls to be on the cutting edge. We want them to be ready for whatever jobs exist in the future that we don't even know about today,” she says.
Garger says that the Boy Scouts will always remain the Boy Scouts regardless of what they call themselves. She says that while activities have changed over time, the “girl” is still in Girl Scouts and the focus remains unchanged since the beginning.
“We want our girls to be advocates for change,” she says. “They’re all making the world a better place, and in the end, that's what it’s going to be all about.”
Garger says that many powerful women have been Girl Scouts. She says that 76 percent of current female U.S. senators were scouts and that four of the current six female governors were also scouts.