Girl Scouting and Gender Roles
Girl Scouts was created to give girls an outlet for activities not usually considered for girls. For that time period it was considered revolutionary and a step towards equality of the sexes. My Girl Scout experiences began in 1977 when I was in third grade as a Brownie Girl Scout. I was a Junior Girl Scout in fourth through sixth grades and a Cadette Girl Scout in seventh through ninth grades. Through Girl Scouting, I learned things such as how to paddle a canoe and archery skills that I probably never would have learned if I hadn 't been a Girl Scout. My seven years as a girl in the organization taught me leadership skills, how to be part of a team and to be a strong, independent woman.
When my daughter was in first grade, I was pleased that she wanted to join Girl Scouts. However, there was no available troop for her and her friends. They were placed on a waiting list due to lack of adult leaders. I decided to become a leader and started Brownie Troop 5266 in December of 2002. In 2005, I became the Junior leader of Troop 5263 as my girls bridged up to the Junior level. Girl Scouting is important to me because I have so many happy memories and experiences in the organization both as a child and as an adult.
On January 20, 2007, I took some girls from my troop to the Danielson Airport for a program put on by two members of the New England Chapter of Ninety-Nines, which is the International Organization of Women Pilots. The afternoon began with an inspirational video featuring stories told by female pilots of all ages about how and why they wanted to fly a plane. Then we listened to a short lecture on the physics of flying, such as how air pressure works to lift a plane 's wings. After we toured the airport, we gathered back in the classroom where journals were passed out to all of the girls. The girls were instructed to write down their dream in their journal. The pilots dared them to follow their dreams. I observed the presenters and the girls
When my daughter was in first grade, I was pleased that she wanted to join Girl Scouts. However, there was no available troop for her and her friends. They were placed on a waiting list due to lack of adult leaders. I decided to become a leader and started Brownie Troop 5266 in December of 2002. In 2005, I became the Junior leader of Troop 5263 as my girls bridged up to the Junior level. Girl Scouting is important to me because I have so many happy memories and experiences in the organization both as a child and as an adult.
On January 20, 2007, I took some girls from my troop to the Danielson Airport for a program put on by two members of the New England Chapter of Ninety-Nines, which is the International Organization of Women Pilots. The afternoon began with an inspirational video featuring stories told by female pilots of all ages about how and why they wanted to fly a plane. Then we listened to a short lecture on the physics of flying, such as how air pressure works to lift a plane 's wings. After we toured the airport, we gathered back in the classroom where journals were passed out to all of the girls. The girls were instructed to write down their dream in their journal. The pilots dared them to follow their dreams. I observed the presenters and the girls
Cited: Daleo, Hanna. "Gender and Power: Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America." Culture Society & Praxis 3(2005): 181-183. Gianoulis, Tina. "Girl Scouts." glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture (2004) 07 May 2007 . Revzin, Rebekah E. "American Girlhood in the Early Twentieth Century: The Ideology of Girl Scout Literature, 1913-1930." Library Quarterly 68.3 Jul 1998 261 Upano, Alicia. "Girl Scouts: 95 years and still going strong." Patch Work (2007) 07 May 2007