There is a huge and unaddressed disparity between the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America.

I really felt like a I missed out on some of the awesome experiences you can have in Boy Scouts because of I was a girl. I was a member of the Girls Scouts for about five years and it was disheartening to realize, during that time, that I would not be receiving the same experiences my brother had as a boy scout. What I remember of girl scout meetings was that for half of the year we tie-dyed shirts, learned games, and paid dues. The other half of the year we sold cookies and talked about selling cookies. Outings scheduled included visiting a retirement home and seeing a ballet. I remember going on only one single camping trip, it entailed sleeping in a tent and eating lots and lots of prepackaged food, we did not go hiking nor did we learn how to build a fire, in fact the troop leaders brought charcoal and lighter fluid.

I remember my brother's Scout troop going on weekend-long canoe trips where they traveled many miles along the same river. Every summer they went to a beautiful Boy Scout-owned camping site for an entire week. He learned how to make a fire, tie knots, make rope, pitch tents, hike, canoe, navigate, fish, and swim. As a troop they would plan events to earn badges that entailed learning life skills or serving the community. Meanwhile I got a badge for seeing a ballet. There just seems to be a huge disparity between the two organizations.

I know that girls are allowed to to technically join the the Boy Scouts of America, however I would venture to say that this frowned upon in most communities and within a troop itself. How would you feel if you were the only girl in a BOY scout troop?

Finally, this business with the Eagle Scout award. You can put an eagle scout award on your resume and people will be impressed. You won't even need to explain it, the majority of American employers will know what it means. The girl scout equivalent is the GSA (Girl Scout Award). Most people don't know that.

It all just seems really unfair that it in most communities, girls aren't given the same chance to have fun camping and hiking in the outdoors as young men are in the Boy Scouts.