Otros cuentos son posibles

En EE.UU. tradicionalmente el escultismo se ha marcado por la diferenciación por sexo. Había Boy Scouts of America (BSA) y Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). Es decir, nada del concepto de la coeducación. No puedo hablar por los Boy Scouts, porque no tengo experiencia personal allí, pero sí que he leído sobre las controversias que han salido en las noticias respecto a su veto a las personas ateas y a las personas homosexuales. Respecto a las Girl Scouts, sé que se trata de una ONG dedicada a fomentar el liderazgo femenino, ante una sociedad aún patriarcal, en un entorno en donde las participantes puedan desarrollarse en un entorno libre de las presiones de los roles y estereotipos de género (aunque muy activamente conscientes de ellos).

Debido a las caídas significativas en el número de miembros en la organización, hace unos pocos años, BSA anunció que iba a empezar a admitir a jóvenes de sexo femenino, y recientemente se han publicado noticias elogiando a las primeras Eagle Scouts femeninas, siendo la distinción de Eagle Scout una de gran prestigio en el escultismo de dicho país.

Esto me ha llamado la atención, y mucho, porque GSUSA también tiene su propia distinción, que algunos argumentan es aún más exigente que la de BSA. Se llama Gold Award Girl Scout (Gold Award - Girl Scouts). Y sin embargo, los proyectos de Gold Award muchas veces quedan infravalorados, o incluso totalmente invisibilizados. Como si no existieran.  Como si estas jóvenes no les dedicaran meses, y hasta años, en completarlos. Y en algunos casos, hablamos de proyectos de una envergadura enorme, y realmente sorprendente, para proceder de personas tan jóvenes. Hablando con algunos voluntarios, he averiguado que los medios de comunicación se muestran más interesados en la famosa campaña anual de recaudación de fondos de Girl Scouts (la venta de Girl Scout Cookies), que en el trabajo y los proyectos que realizan las jóvenes para buscar soluciones a los problemas que existen en su entorno. Mi cuento trata justo de eso.

The Golden Eagle Twins

Jane Doe was born on a sunny afternoon in April. Her brother, John, was born just 10 minutes later. The two of them were alike in many ways, and they grew up inseparable, in a loving, caring family. They slept in bunkbeds in the same bedroom. When they started school, they were always in the same class. When they played sports, they were always on the same team. They even had the same favorite foods, colors, and tv shows.

But a time came that they realized they wanted a little bit of space from each other. So, when they both asked their parents if they could become Scouts, they decided to join different troops. This was not too complicated, as there were several different groups in their neighborhood to choose from.

They both enjoyed their Scouting experiences thoroughly, and over the years, they grew personally, advanced, and developed into bright, resourceful teens. They also knew that they wanted to earn the highest possible Scouting distinction they possibly could. John was the first to start on it. He had earned 21 merit badges and served in a leadership position within his troop, when he planned and carried out a project benefitting their community. At the same age, Jane had also earned 21 merit badges and served in a leadership position within her troop, but she was required to plan and carry out a couple of smaller projects, before she was able to begin on the one that would ultimately lead her to earning this award.

In the long run, after completing the requirements for earning these distinctions. John was directly offered coverage for his project in the local and state news, while Jane was not. In fact, the news stations were more interested in finding out when she might be selling cookies than in asking about the remarkable and sustainable contribution she had made to their community. The twins, both having dedicated huge amounts of time and work to their respective projects, discussed this truly unfair and unequal treatment with their parents, and the family decided that they would not accept any news coverage, unless it was offered equally to the two siblings.

Several news providers picked up on this and broadcast a whole series about how the media themselves had contributed to perpetuating the myth that accomplishments made by men or boys were in some way superior to, or more important than, those made by women or girls. The national media were next, publishing the story about the twins, Gold Award Girl Scout Jane Doe, and BSA Eagle Scout John Doe, whom they nicknamed "The Golden Eagle Twins." And the two of them went on to live full and happy lives, knowing that one of their most important accomplishments – and one that they had made together – had been their bringing visibility to an important source of gender inequality for youngsters across the nation, and perhaps even around the world.