A group of young girls in California is doing its best to do something quite unexpected: join the Boy Scouts of America.
The girls, who have dubbed themselves The Unicorns, took an interest in joining after they participated in Living for Life, a co-ed subsidiary program that helps kids develop confidence and skills. Although they tried Girl Scouts for a little while, they found they didn't enjoy the activities as much, so they thought they'd give Boy Scouts a try.
Ella Jacobs, 10, told ABC News that she was jealous of her brother and all the fun outdoor activities he got to do with his troop, which inspired her to try and join. But her mother and one of the Unicorn leaders, Danelle Jacobs, told the news outlet that her daughter and the other girls aren't allowed to join because that's not traditional.
"They said things like it was completely inappropriate and girls would take over all of the leadership positions," Jacobs said. "What would be inappropriate is lost on me."
The Boy Scouts of America said in a statement that it was made aware last month that a local unit was not following eligibility requirements.
"We understand that the values and the lessons of Scouting are attractive to the entire family," the Boy Scouts of America said. "However, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are year-round programs for boys and young men in the first grade through age 18. Local Scouting leadership welcomes the opportunity to discuss BSA policies with the families involved, as well as potential alternative programs available."
The Unicorns and the local Boy Scout leaders met recently to discuss the girls' admission, but the men said they had no authority to approve or deny membership. According to reports, they forwarded the Unicorns' request onto the national headquarters.
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