The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name–in order to be more welcoming to girls.
The organization will now be known as Scouts BSA. The name change will take effect in February 2019.
“We wanted to land on something that evokes the past but also conveys the inclusive nature of the program going,” said Chief Scout Executive Mike Surbaugh. “We’re trying to find the right way to say we’re here for both young men and young women.”
The organization said it has already started accepting girls into Cub Scouts, which will not see a name change. The former Boy Scouts–soon to be Scouts BSA–will start accepting girls next year.
So far, more than 3,000 girls have joined Cub Scout packs, and Scouts BSA also plans to ramp up female recruitment with a new campaign called “Scout Me In.”
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