It's another historic moment for the Boy Scouts of America in recent years: Girls were welcomed into the ranks of the Cub Scouts this year, and by 2019 they'll be allowed to join the Boy Scouts.
Since the BSA announced the membership decision last October, the organization said more than 3,000 girls had enrolled in its "early adopter program" for Cub Scouts -- before a full launch later this year for the group serving youth ages 5 to 10.
The move comes after years of contentious debate over membership questions, primarily whether LGBTQ people should be allowed to participate. BSA decided to let openly gay youth join in 2013 and transgender kids in 2017; in 2015, the group said it would end a national ban on gay adult leaders but permit the chartered organizations that sponsor troops and packs to make their own decisions at the local level.
Given the big changes in Scouting in recent years, we'd like to know if your daughter has plans to join the Boy Scouts -- renamed Scouts BSA last week -- when it opens up to girls (or if she has already become a member of the Cub Scouts). We're interested in hearing about their experience, so complete our form by May 18 and we may reach out for an interview.