Great post and analogy, and I love this comment.

I run across men who argue, since it’s impossible to give ‘harassment’ a mathematically precise definition, that they can’t be held accountable for harassing women since they haven’t been given a comprehensive and exhausting list of behaviors to refrain from, and that the only other option given them is to never talk to anyone ever again. It’s another type of privileged whining, where, apparently, men can’t be expected to try to figure out how women feel about strange men talking to them, but where women are automatically expected to understand and sympathize with all frustrated male loners who are trying so hard to use only the best pick-up lines.

I find that people who complain about the lack of a totally precise definition of ‘harassment’ aren’t typically bothered by using other words which are even vaguer. It’s a type of willful blindspot being dishonestly presented as unintentional confusion.

Wow, he really said that? (I am guessing it’s a he.)

they are separate groups because the boy scouts were formed first and didnt include girls. girl scouts were formed later after the GS founder had met one of the first boy scouting founders and learned about the program.

also, while being similar programs, they are also very different in their beliefs. GS do not have the historical bias against LGBT that BSA does. back in the 90s, i spent 4 college summers working at a GS camp that had quite a number of lesbians working at it every year. in fact, the council director for the area was a lesbian and had been with GS for decades. GS is very inclusive of LGBT members, and even has admitted at least one transgendered child. they also do not discriminate on religious basis, which is why i, as an atheist, could be an employee and member of the local council with no issues.

the segregation isnt likely to change any time soon. i dont think either program would be willing to adopt the others policies regarding discrimination.

There’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in the US. I have no idea why it was set up that way, but it is.

As for changing it… the United States is a 21st Century country with an 18th century culture (maybe a 19th century culture, but that may be pushing it). We need to change how the genders are handled in this country in general, with advertising, and scouts, and products (they’re gendered), and… well… everything. You have to go far in this country to find something that isn’t gendered, and it’s usually something considered “taboo” in the mainstream US culture.

The Scouts is just another victim of this.

Well, of course they don’t let girls in. There could be…dancing. And that leads directly to fornication, hard drugs, atheism, and rock’n’roll.

Sheesh. You’d think you were talking about some liberal democracy, like Iran, not a good upstanding theocracy like the United States of Jesusland.

Men are from Gruidae; Women are from Chelonioidea.