(CNN) — Boy Scouts of America said Tuesday that it will become Scouting America in February to encourage inclusivity.
The youth group claimed the new moniker makes boys and girls feel welcome. The Boy Scouts of America announced the change will take effect on February 8, 2025, their 115th anniversary.
At a Tuesday news conference, Boy Scouts of America president and CEO Roger A. Krone told reporters, “While this may be a surprise to some of you, for us this is a straightforward evolution and the next natural step in ensuring all American youth feel welcomed and recognized in an organization that is meant to serve all Americans.”
Krone said the renaming won't impact the organization's purpose to teach "young people over their lives to make ethical and moral choices by instilling the scout oath and law." Scouting ideals are America's.”
Cub Scouting for 7–10-year-old girls began in 2018. CNN stated that Scouts BSA welcomed 11–17-year-old girls the next year.
BSA stated that the program's expansion has been desired for years to help busy families combine kid programming.
Krone now thinks the group should be renamed to properly represent the youngsters in their programs. He estimated around 20% are girls or young women.
Selby Chipman, an initial female Eagle Scout and North Carolina assistant Scoutmaster, noted at the announcement conference that the program taught her leadership qualities.
She wants additional girls and young women gain those skills and benefit from the program like she did.
The Boys Scouts of America has over 1 million members, including 176,234 girls and young women. BSA announced that over 6,000 girls and young women had become Eagle Scouts.
Bob Brady, a New Jersey attorney who formed and leads an all-female Scouts BSA troop, said some girls joined the organization when it expanded because they had Eagle Scout brothers, but the community may not know.
“Five and a half years after we started, town residents see us marching in a parade and doing a service project and say, ‘Girls can be Scouts? Boy Scouts,'" Brady stated at the news conference. It requires some explanation… I hope this will aid recruiters and showcase our inclusive program over the previous decade.”
Brady has two Eagle Scout daughters since then.
“Young girls, young boys, the Scout oath and law are not gendered. Young ladies in 2024 adore camping and hiking, Brady added. You know, I've had more parents and ladies tell me in the last five or six years, I wish I had been in scouting as a kid.”
In recent years, the Boy Scouts of America has been plagued with sexual abuse and misconduct charges. According to CNN, the group declared bankruptcy in 2020 after spending over $150 million on abuse cases.
Last year, the Boy Scouts of America began paying hundreds of sexual assault victims through a court-established Victims Compensation Trust. CNN stated that over 82,000 abuse survivors will get $2.4 billion from the Trust.