The Boy Scouts of America announced Wednesday its plan to remove the word “Boy” from its iconic program.
According Chief Scout Executive Mike Surbaugh, a new campaign entitled “Scout Me In” aims to push for more inclusiveness in the organization’s ranks.
“As we enter a new era for our organization, it is important that all youth can see themselves in Scouting in every way possible,” Saurbaugh said.
As reported by USA Today, while the umbrella organization Boy Scouts of America or BSA will keep its name, the Boy Scouts program, aimed at 10 to 17 year olds, will be changed to Scouts BSA in the near future.
The Cub Scouts, a program for 7-10 year olds, however, will keep its name due to it already being “gender neutral.”
“Change has been coming quickly to the iconic if shrinking organization. In October, it announced it would provide programs for girls,” USA Today reports. “Several months before that, the group announced it would accept and register transgender youth into its organization.”
The organization, which claims to currently have 2.3 million members, also announced an end to its ban on gay leaders in 2015.
Boy Scouts are dropping the word ‘Boy’ from flagship program; Girl Scouts shrug
CLOSE The Boy Scouts of America doubled down Wednesday on its quest to become the scouting organization of choice for boys and girls, announcing it will drop “Boy” from the name of its signature program. But the decision didn’t impress the Girl Scout organization, which noted no new, “girl specific” programming.