Last week, the historic Boy Scout organization announced that from 2019 it would accept girls in their ranks.

The decision to end gender segregation comes 100 years after its founding and although it has been applauded as a feminist advance and a fit with modern values, the main motive is to curb the progressive decline in membership of members and volunteers, as El País highlighted.

According to figures from the organization, Scouts have 2.3 million members aged seven to 21 in the United States, one-third less than in 2000.

In the Scouts America statement, Michael Surbaugh said that including the young scouts fits with the founding values of the Scouts, but also recognizes that before the new family model - in which both parents work – this move "makes programs which serve the whole family, more attractive." There is no time for parents to accompany their children to Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts activities.

CNN emphasized that the decision to allow Girl Scouts to reach, for example, the rank of Eagle Explorer - a prestigious and well-recognized achievement - is important for many reasons. First, because "it can have long-term benefits in the academic, professional and even military sphere," CNN says. And gives as an example the Secretary of Justice Jeff Sessions, Neil Armstrong and the ex-Secretary of Defense of the United States, Robert Gates.

CNN also highlighted the diverse reactions in social networks, including Donald Trump J.R, who tweeted: "Curious, I thought that's what the Girls Scouts were for."

Shortly after announcing the new move, Latino activist Charles Garcia, a member of the Girls Scout Board, wrote an article in The Huffington Post defining the BSA's decision to include girls as "a horrible idea":

"Instead of focusing on the systemic problems of the organization, such as continued sexual harassment, poor financial management and poor programs, the BSA board of directors prefers to further heat the situation by deciding now that it will recruit girls," said Garcia, according to an Associated Press note.

"Instead of recruiting girls, the BSA should focus on attracting more Latino, black and Asian boys - especially those from low-income households," added Garcia.

In their efforts to increase membership and adapt to new times, in 2009, the Boy Scouts launched a campaign to recruit young Latinos. At that time, only 3 out of 100 Scouts were Latinos. Although their uniforms remind those of immigration officers on the border, the Boy Scouts argue that their ideas and values bear many similarities to the traditional values of Latino families.