Meanings of gender and feminism in the Scout Movement (Córdoba, Argentina)

Abstract

The article analyzes the meanings of gender and feminism present in documents of the Scout Movement (Argentina) and among educators and participants of the scout group selected as a case study. The theoretical approach seeks to outline, from gender studies, the prevailing climate of the time around the advance of feminism in the country and the conservative response to its achievements; specific antecedents to Scouting are also reconstructed from a gender perspective. The research methodology is framed within the qualitative paradigm and is based on an exploratory case study. Documents from the organization, participant observations of group activities and Comprehensive Sexuality Education workshops held in 2022 were analyzed. The documents of Scout Argentina reveal a recent policy of clearly defining and mainstreaming a gender perspective in the educational proposal offered by the organization. Within the case study group, the prevailing meanings range from the reproduction of the patriarchal, binary and heteronormative sexual order to meanings that address current challenges to this order and enable thinking and acting in terms of gender equality and sexual diversity.