Prompt Cast
The History and Impact of Girl Scouts in the United States
TLDR With a history of inclusivity and progressiveness, the Girl Scouts of America have played a significant role in the lives of millions of American women. From selling cookies to promoting outdoor activities and career exploration, the organization has empowered girls and built skills, confidence, and character.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
One in every three American adult women were Girl Scouts at some point in time, with currently around 2.6 million Girl Scouts in the United States.
05:08
Girl Scouts make a significant amount of money from selling cookies, with gross revenue reaching $800 million in 2019-2020, which allows them to keep their membership fees low.
09:42
The Girl Scouts have a history of being inclusive and progressive, desegregating in the 1950s and including girls with disabilities from the beginning, and by the time the Boy Scouts fully integrated their troops, the Girl Scouts already had their first African-American president.
14:42
The Girl Scouts earn badges and participate in community service projects to build skills, confidence, and character, while also focusing on potential careers and interests.
19:37
The Girl Scouts still emphasize being outdoors and participating in activities like camping and adventuring.
24:36
Girl Scouts can still participate and earn badges even if they don't have a troop nearby by becoming a Juliet and being a member of a council.
29:15
The Girl Scouts of America have recognized the growing Latina population in the United States and have created Spanish language resources and incorporated cultural elements into their meetings, with the first woman of color serving as CEO from 2011 to 2016 and the current CEO being the first African American woman.
34:06
The Girl Scouts of America began selling cookies in 1917 as a way to fund their organization, and the cookies have since become a beloved American tradition, with Thin Mints being the most popular flavor.
39:20
The Girl Scouts of America logo was designed by Saul Bass in 1979 and is still in use today, featuring three girls with the original three-lobed clover logo as their hair, symbolizing diversity and looking towards the future.
44:20
The Girl Scouts have always been inclusive and supportive of feminist ideals, but they often face backlash from the far right who accuse them of brainwashing kids with a leftist agenda, despite their values being fairly mainstream.
49:35
The hosts discuss their Kiva microlending team and encourage listeners to join and support entrepreneurs in developing nations.
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Society & Culture
