The Boy Scouts and the Validation of Masculinity

Abstract

The success of the Boy Scouts of America in the early twentieth century can in part be understood in terms of increased concern over the maintenance of traditional concepts of masculinity. Adult men at the turn of the century believed that the opportunities for the development and expression of masculinity were being restricted. Scouting was a means to counteract perceived forces of feminization in the world of adolescents. An analysis of the social background and motivations of scoutmasters suggests that the Scouting movement provided adult men, denied by their occupations, an opportunity to validate the traditional image of masculinity.