The new era of Scouting America

I'm sure you've heard by now: For the first time ever, the Boy Scouts of America is changing its name.

• Why it matters: The BSA's signature program, which was previously rebranded as Scouts BSA, has been open to youth of all genders since 2019, when the door opened to girls and young women. The new name for the organization as whole goes a step further in embracing that inclusivity.

This may seem like just a matter of semantics, but in my view it's a pretty big deal. The legacy name has led to more than a little confusion about who, exactly, can join the program. (Anecdotally, I find people are often surprised when I tell them it is open to more than just cisgender boys—and has been for 5 years).

Here are my main takeaways:

• This is likely the BSA's attempt to wipe the slate clean after (checks notes) many decades of controversy and turmoil. With membership policy debates and the sexual abuse settlement in the rear view mirror, a new name could serve as a reset for the organization's reputation.
• The change has been framed as a way of reflecting the inclusion of girls, but it also helps create a more welcoming umbrella for trans and nonbinary youth, who don't see themselves reflected in the "Boy Scouts of America" name either.
  • On that note, the BSA announced another change this week that you easily could have missed: In September, it will start a "limited pilot" for "combined troops," which would be fully coed, eliminating the gender separation that has caused so much frustration.
  • This week I wrote about the need for more support for trans and nonbinary Scouts, in an op-ed in The Advocate, which you can read here.
• The new name, Scouting America, is in line with programs in peer countries, like Scouts UK and Scouts Canada. Plus, it builds on the already commonplace use of the term "Scouting" to refer to the entire organization.

And I shared more of my thoughts about the change on live TV on Wednesday, which you can watch below!

Breaking down the Boy Scouts of America rebrand to ‘Scouting America’

FOX 5’s DMV Zone sits down with author and journalist Mike De Socio to talk about the Boy Scouts of America’s move to go by the name ‘Scouting America’ and the recent push for inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community.

FOX 5 DC