[ridiculous_fish]

One of the under-appreciated qualities of the Boy Scouts is how the National Council mostly keeps its distance, allowing individual troops to organize themselves. There are fixed requirements for advancement through the Scout ranks, but some troops are focused on outings, some are overtly religious, some are basically Eagle Scout factories for college admissions, etc.

This is a great thing. It means that kids can learn the core skills and values, like leadership, discipline, teamwork, and wilderness survival, and receive recognition for it, even if their parents' faith, political leanings, or goals aren't aligned with the National Council.

I hope the Council leaves it up to the individual troops as to whether they admit girls (or boys, for that matter). Many troops will go co-ed given the opportunity.

And as others have said, the Girl Scouts are not perceived to be as rigorous or prestigious as the Boy Scouts, and should step up their game. It's hard to blame girls for being uninterested in an organization best known for selling cookies.

(Disclosure: Eagle Scout)