Boy Scouts To Change Group Name As Girls Join Ranks

Boy scouts marching with a flag at Arts in the Street, Independence of Central America & Mexico Cultural Integration Day.

Source: Jeff Greenberg / Getty

For well over a century, the Boy Scouts of America has been the leader in the stateside scouting movement, but until last year only boys could join its ranks. To reflect its embrace of inclusion, the organization will drop “boy” from its name and will now be known as Scouts BSA.

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CNN reports:

Less than a year after the Boy Scouts of America decided to invite girls to join, the organization announced that it will refer to its older youth program as “Scouts BSA” starting in February 2019.

The name change comes amid a new campaign slogan, “Scout Me In,” that was made to emphasize the group’s expansion from just boys to boys and girls.

“Cub Scouts is a lot of fun, and now it’s available to all kids,” Stephen Medlicott, National Marketing Group Director of Boy Scouts of America, said in a statement. “That’s why we love ‘Scout Me In’ — because it speaks to girls and boys and tells them, ‘This is for you. We want you to join!’”

The name change only applies to the program currently called Boy Scouts, which is available for teens ages 11-17. The Cub Scouts program, for children ages 5-10, will not undergo a name change. The name of the organization will remain Boy Scouts of America.

What are your thoughts? Is this a good move for the Boy Scouts? Sound off in the comments.

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