Talk:Boy Scouts of America membership controversies/Gender

Boy Scouts of America membership
In the BSA, traditional Scouting is considered to be one movement with three main programs. Cub Scouting is available to boys from first to fifth-grade or 7 to 11½ years. Boy Scouting is for boys ages 10 to 18 with the Varsity Scouting sub-division for boys ages 14 to 18. Venturing is the program for young men and women ages 14 through 21 with the Sea Scouting sub-division.

The objectives of the BSA are referred to as Aims of Scouting: character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. The BSA pursues these aims through an informal education system called the Scout method, with variations that are designed to be appropriate for the age and maturity of each membership division. Each unit is sponsored by a community organization as part of their youth program and is involved in the neighborhood and community.

Learning for Life is a school and work-site based program that is a subsidiary of the BSA designed for schools and community-based organizations. Exploring is the worksite-based program of Learning for Life. Learning for Life is not considered a traditional Scouting program; it does not use the Scout Promise, Scout Law, uniforms, or insignia of traditional Scouting. All Learning for Life programs are open to youth and adults without restriction based on religion, sexual orientation, gender, race or other considerations other than age requirements.

World Organization of the Scout Movement
The BSA is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, an international association of Scouting organizations. WOSM has a membership of 160 national Scout organizations with more than 28 million members. Only one Scouting organization per country is recognized by WOSM; in many countries, the recognized organization is a federation composed of multiple Scout associations.

BSA gender policies
Only boys may be members of the Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting programs, while Venturing is co-educational. Adult women may be leaders in any position. The Order of the Arrow is part of the Boy Scouting program, thus only Boy Scouts may be elected as youth members; adult leaders may be selected regardless of gender.

History
When the BSA incorporated in 1910, females were not allowed as members or leaders. Later that year the BSA helped to start the Camp Fire Girls as a parallel program for girls. When Cub Scouting was introduced in 1930, dens were lead by Boy Scout den chiefs with unofficial help from mothers. By 1936, den mother became a formal position with optional registration; in 1948, registration became mandatory. The position was changed to den leader in 1967, allowing men to serve. The first female professional Scouter was the museum curator at Philmont Scout Ranch in in 1965. Service awards were presented only to men until they were made available to women in 1974. In 1973, women could serve as institutional representatives, Cub Scout roundtable commissioners, Cub Scout unit commissioners, unit chairmen, unit committee members, den leaders, assistant den leaders and den leader coaches. In 1988, all positions were opened to women, including Scoutmaster; adult women could now be selected for the Order of the Arrow.

In 1969, young women were allowed to be associate members of Explorer posts and Exploring became optionally co-educational in 1971. Career-oriented Exploring was moved to Learning for Life in 1998 and the remaining posts were converted to the new Venturing program, with Sea Scouting as a sub-division. Venturing and Sea Scouting are both co-educational.

Litigation
Several legal cases have been brought by females— each case has affirmed the right of the BSA to exclusive membership policies.


 * Schwenk v. Boy Scouts of America (1976) The Oregon Supreme Court held that Oregon law did not apply to the BSA, as a private, noncommercial organization.


 * Quinnipiac Council v. Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities (1987) A female volunteer leader filed a complaint with the commission after her application as a Scoutmaster was rejected. The Connecticut Supreme Court held that the public accommodations law did not apply to the BSA’s leadership positions because volunteering to serve youth was not a right protected under that law.


 * Mankes v. Boy Scouts of America (1991) The federal district court held that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.


 * Department of Human Rights v. Boy Scouts of America (1992) The Hennepin County District Court (Minnesota)concluded that Boy Scouts are not covered by the Minnesota Human Rights Act.


 * Yeaw v. Boy Scouts of America (1997) The Sacramento Superior Court held that the BSA is not a business establishment covered by the Unruh Civil Rights Act and could not be required to accept girls as members.