{"alias":"contentPage","byline":null,"standfirst":null,"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EThe issue of gender in Scouts is interesting. At different points in Scouts\u2019 history, it has led to barriers to participation being both introduced and removed.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/15696/family-with-boy-and-girl-scouts-and-scout-master1910-1024x743.jpg","width":1024,"height":743,"altText":"An early Scouting family showing the father as a Scoutmaster, the son a Boy Scout and the daughters as Girl Scouts. c1909","caption":"An early Scouting family showing the father as a Scoutmaster, the son a Boy Scout and the daughters as Girl Scouts. c1909","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EGirl Scouts\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFollowing the publication of Scouting for Boys in January 1908, girls were actively engaging in Scouts, as they had been just as inspired by the ideas in the book. Troops and patrols of Girl Scouts were encouraged by Robert Baden-Powell.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBaden-Powell said: \u2018I think girls can get just as much healthy fun and as much value out of scouting as boys can. Some who have taken it up have proved themselves good souls in a very short time. As to pluck, women and girls can be just as brave as men and have over and over again proved it in times of danger. But, for some reason it is not expected of them and, consequentially, it\u0027s seldom made part of their education, although it ought to be; for courage is not always born in people, but can generally be made by instruction.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/15697/girl-and-boy-scout-wide-game-2015-05-17-01-girl-scout-patrol-magazine-1909-768x1087.jpg","width":768,"height":1087,"altText":"An illustration from a Girl Scout Patrol Magazine, from May 1909","caption":"An illustration from a Girl Scout Patrol Magazine, from May 1909","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EOne group of Girl Scouts, only known to us as \u2018Kangaroo Patrol\u2019, were so inspired by this quote that they copied it out at the beginning of their patrol magazine in May 1909.\u00A0\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir magazine was full of adventure stories, with Scouts preventing robberies and kidnappings. It also showed girls and boys in Scouts together.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring 1909, various announcements were made by HQ recognising that there were over 6,000 girls registered with Scouts and that a separate scheme was being developed for Girl Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn September 1909, a Scout Rally was held at Crystal Palace with both girls and boys attending. This is sometimes cited as the origins of Girl Guiding. However, plans were already well underway for their launch the following year and had been announced in the August 1909 Headquarters Gazette.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/15700/1909-crystal-palace-1-1024x755.jpg","width":1024,"height":755,"altText":"Girl Scouts attending the Crystal Palace Scout Rally in September 1909","caption":"Girl Scouts attending the Crystal Palace Scout Rally in September 1909","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EScouts in the UK remained a boys only youth organisation for the next 66 years.\u00A0In 1976, girls were allowed to join a youth section the first time since 1910. The Venture Scout section, now known as Explorers, for 15-20 year olds became co-educational.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/15701/1977-venture-scouts-1.jpg","width":915,"height":697,"altText":"Female Venture Scouts in uniform and smiling in 1977","caption":"Female Venture Scouts in uniform and smiling in 1977","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EIn 1992, the remaining youth sections also opened their doors to girls. At this stage, groups who wished to remain single sex could opt out. On 1 January 2007, it became compulsory for all groups to make sure provisions were in place to accept girls into all sections.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/16258/1916-lady-cubmaster.jpg","width":229,"height":654,"altText":"A Lady Cubmaster supervises a Wolf Cub Grand Howl, 1916","caption":"A Lady Cubmaster supervises a Wolf Cub Grand Howl, 1916","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWomen in Scouting\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWomen have been involved in Scouting from the very beginning. The first women to receive their Scout leader warrants were Miss Wade of Henfield, West Sussex who started the 1st Henfield Scout Group (still active today) and Mrs Scott Malden then Headteacher of Windlesham School, West Sussex both women are listed as certified Scoutmasters, 16 March 1909.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe most famous of these early female leaders is\u00A0\u003Ca href=\u0022/about-us/our-history/our-online-exhibitions/scouting-personalities/vera-barclay/\u0022 title=\u0022Vera Barclay\u0022\u003EVera Barclay\u003C/a\u003E who went on to be the co-founder of the Cubs section.\u00A0 These women were Scouting pioneers just as much as their male counterparts, but had the additional challenge of overcoming the social prejudice of the time regarding appropriate activities for women and whether they could lead a group of boys.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAn article entitled \u0027Lady Scoutmasters\u0027, by Olave Baden-Powell, October 1913, reflected the number of women taking up Scouting:\u00A0\u0027The experiment of ladies being Scoutmasters has through the good and earnest work of those carrying it out proved itself successful; it only remains for it now to become a more widespread practice among young women keen to do something for their country.\u0027\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/15702/2014-hannah.jpg","width":738,"height":969,"altText":"The cover of Scouting Magazine celebrating Hannah Kentish\u2019s appointment as UK Youth Commissioner","caption":"The cover of Scouting Magazine celebrating Hannah Kentish\u2019s appointment as UK Youth Commissioner","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EAs with so many areas of life, war drove innovation and social change. Throughout the First World War, due to the lack of male leaders, but also in recognition of women\u2019s already considerable contributions, there were continuous calls for more women to engage in Scouts. By 1918, 65% of Cub leaders were women.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThroughout the years, women have continued to play an important role in Scouts. Two of these women, Dorothy Hughes and Betty \u2018Rikki\u2019 Melville Smith, are remembered at Gilwell Park.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Dorothy Hughes Pack Holiday Centre and Rikki\u2019s Store are named in their honour.\u00A0Their legacy continues, as the first ever UK Youth Commissioner, appointed in 2014, was Hannah Kentish. As of 2017, 43% of the adult volunteer team in the UK identify as female.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":"The issue of gender in Scouting is interesting. In Scouting\u2019s history it has led to barriers being both introduced and removed.","pageType":null,"location":null,"browserTitle":"","versionDate":"07 September 2023","reviewDate":"01/01/0001","redirectUrl":"","id":76965,"nodeName":"Scouting for Girls","title":"Scouting for Girls","type":"contentPage","image":null,"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Scouting for Girls","headerSubTitle":"","headerCta":"","headerCtaText":"","headerCtaLink":"","headerBackgroundColour":"","showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":[]},"subHeader":"The issue of gender in Scouting is interesting. In Scouting\u2019s history it has led to barriers being both introduced and removed.","silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC83Njk2NSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/our-history/our-online-exhibitions/the-early-days-of-scouting/scouting-for-girls/"}