Gay scouting
Boy Scouts of America Takes Historic Step Forward For Gay Scouts, Leaves Gay Scout Leaders Behind
"Today is a historic day for Boy Scouts across the country who want to be a part of this superb American institution," said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin. "But the brand-new policy doesn’t go far enough. Parents and adults of good moral ethics, regardless of sexual orientation, should be able to volunteer their time to mentor the next generation of Americans."
"The Boy Scouts of America can perform better," said Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout and Executive Director of Scouts for Equality. "We welcome the news that the ban on gay Scouts is history, but our work isn’t over until we honor the Scout Law by making this American institution open and affirming to all."
Unanswered in the new policy is the issue of employment discrimination by BSA. Currently, the BSA employment application for “professional commission” explicitly says gays necessitate not apply. The application, which comes from the BSA’s national office and appears to be in use
Don’t Clap Just Yet for the Boy Scouts
In , 8-year-old James Dale joined the Cub Scouts. He followed the advancement trail and eventually became a Young man Scout in After earning numerous merit badges and ability awards over the next seven years, Dale achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in , the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts. He applied for grown-up membership in and became a scout leader soon after. But in the summer of , Dale received a letter informing him that his membership had been revoked, simply because he was gay.
Despite Dale's year bond with the Lad Scouts, the group severed their ties with him after learning of a news article that identified him as the co-president of his university's Lesbian/Gay Alliance. Dale subsequently filed suit in New Jersey courts and eventually reached the Supreme Court of the Merged States in In a decision, the Supreme Court narrowly affirmed the Male child Scouts right to deny membership to openly gay individuals.
But the Boy Scouts' victory was not meant to last.
Now the Boy Scouts did an about face. On July 27, a occupied
Scouting &#; Homosexuality
Some Friends have expressed their concerns about Quaker involvement with Scouting because of Scouting America’s (BSA) policy preventing openly gay or lesbian individuals from being members. These Friends sense that Quakers should not be involved in Scouting at all.
While there is no global consensus on the issue, the Scout associations in Canada, the Merged Kingdom, and the United States welcome gay, lesbian, and transsexual youth and adults. Scouting America (BSA) currently admits boys and young men of all ages and young women over the age of 14 as members, Girl Guides of Canada and Girl Guiding UK admit only girls as members and only women as grown-up volunteers, while Scouts Canada and the The Scout Association (UK) admit boys and girls as members and men and women as adult volunteers.
Scouting America&#;s (BSA) current policy on membership can be reviewed here. Highlights of the policy include:
It is the philosophy of Scouting to welcome all eligible youth, regardless of race, ethnic background, or orientation, who are willing to accept Scouting’s Scouts for Equality was a (c)3 not for profit nonprofit committed to ensuring that the Boy Scouts of America continues to be an organization that contributes positively to the lives of America's young people. As Scouts, leaders, parents, volunteers, and supporters, we believe that inclusion and mutual respect are traditional Scouting values integral to building character, developing leaders, and promoting good citizenship. We will continue to strive for a Scouting movement that is rooted in equality and is free of discrimination. The vision of Scouts for Equality was of an inclusive, vibrant, and strong Male child Scouts of America in which members, leaders, parents, volunteers, and supporters cure each other with joint respect and acknowledge the inherent worth and dignity of all people. The principles of the Scout Statute and the creed of the Scout Oath were central to Scouts for Equality's work.About Scouts For Equality
In less than a year, our organization grew to over 7, Eagle Scouts and collected over two million campaign signatures. These are a few of the peop