I was in Girl Scouts when I was in elementary school and just barely into middle school. Since my brother had been in Boy Scouts, I thought that Girl Scouts was the same. But I was so wrong. There are more differences than just selling popcorn and cookies, and I did not like these differences.
First difference: Activities
The main reason I didn’t like Girl Scouts was the lack of activities. Girl Scouts focuses on more womanly and cultural duties, like sewing, cooking and volunteering for shelters and nursing homes. As far as I know, Boy Scouts do the same but also do more physical activities like boating, swimming, camping overnight and cycling as well. Girl Scouts did not do any outdoor activities, and I have always loved being outdoors, so this fact made me upset.
Second difference: Ranking
The ranking system of Girl Scouts is why I despised Girl Scouts after I left. In Boy Scouts, you rank up based on deeds you do, regardless of how old you are; but once you are 18, if you are not an Eagle Scout, you are unable to progress further. In Girl Scouts, you rank up by age. I did not like going from a Junior in elementary, to a Cadet in middle school with no big badge or deed done to achieve that rank. I really wished that I could have ranked up from a badge or a deed rather than turning 13.
Third difference: Uniforms
Boy Scouts had similar, yet different uniforms from Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts had either a vest or a sash where your badges and patches would go. Boy Scouts, however, had a class A uniform, a polo they would wear with a kerchief, as well as a class B uniform, a T shirt with a logo for Boy Scouts of America. I would’ve loved to have two different uniforms, because volunteering for the shelters was hard work, especially in a loud and smelly environment. I ended up getting dog pee all over my vest, so it would’ve been nice to have a class B uniform I could’ve worn that would’ve been 100% easier to wash.
These are just the differences between Boy and Girl Scouts that made me dislike being in Girl Scouts. There are many other differences between the two, but they didn’t make me dislike scouts as much as these three differences did.