Today we live in the age where many changes are in progress — changes that have been shaking a stern belief system of what is right and wrong. The U.S. president, Barack Obama, passed the law that allowed same-sex marriage. This was a huge step into the future of equality and breaking norms that have existed for centuries.
Today in California, a group of girls who call themselves “the Unicorns” are also trying to bring change. Allie Westover, a 13-year-old girl, and her friends filled out applications and gave them to men in khaki pants who wore an overwhelming number of pins. Allie and her friends stated that they wanted to be boy scouts. These girls don’t want to become boys, but they no longer want to be selling brownies or cookies. Instead, they want to be out in the woods creating knots and fire. Even thought this wish seems far away to them, the Unicorns believe things are already changing. There are now unisex bathrooms and the belittlement of gay boy scouts and leaders has decreased.
The Unicorns, from the left Allie Westover, Daphne Mortenson, Taylor Alcozer, Ella Jacobs, and Skyler Westover enjoying a laugh in the parking lot after a Boy Scouts meeting in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Nov. 13th (Photo credit to New York Times)
These girls merely want to be able to do the things that boy scouts do. They talked about how it made no sense for girls to be prohibited to work with boys. “When we get into the real world, we’re going to have to work with other people who are, like, not just girls,” said Elle, who is 10 years old. Although change has been shaking the world, there are many obstacles that these young girls are facing. Through history, boy scouts have been the representation of the male leadership in the United States. There is a law that prohibits any discrimination by sex; however, it holds an exception to boy scouts, allowing only the dictated gender.
Many of the other obstacles come from parents who state they would not like their sons sleeping in a tent with a female. The concern for this issue is slowly surfacing. The Unicorns, however are certainly putting a time limit to the results they want. They have joined other groups meant for females but found it unsatisfying since they felt the action the desired was not happening. At the moment, there is no desire to allow girls to be a boy scout but with the shaking of norms there is no say in what can and will happen.
Information and photos provided through: