(Daily360.com) The Boy Scouts are creating a new name that is intended to be more inclusive to all people who may wish to participate in the organization. The new name will be Scouting America, and the group says it means to be welcoming to all genders at a time when membership is at a record low rate. The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and reached a $2.46 billion settlement to resolve cases of sexual abuse within the organization.
Following the news of the allegations, bankruptcy and settlement, the Boy Scouts are rebranding in an attempt to increase membership. 82,000 men were a part of the settlement and said they were abused as children by scout leaders. The organization has made several changes over the last decade to be more welcoming to a diverse group of people.
The Boy Scouts removed restrictions against gay youth being part of the program in 2013. In 2015, they allowed gay adults to lead programs within the organization. They announced in 2017 that girls would be able to join Cub Scouts in 2018 and Scouts BSA in 2019.
Many people falsely believe that the Girl Scouts organization falls under the same parent company as Boy Scouts, but they are two completely different organizations. The Boy Scouts had two million members in 2018 and that number has been cut in half to just over a million members in 2024. The name change will officially take place on February 8, 2025, which is the 115th anniversary for the company.
President Roger A. Krone said the goals and missions of the organization are the same. He said the name change is important to make sure all people feel welcome to join. Many people took to social media platforms to denounce the name change saying that it is important to have things that are just for guys. Other commenters said the inclusive name change is caving to wokeness.
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