Under intense pressure the Boy Scouts of America said its long-standing ban on openly gay members may finally be lifted, although it will continue to exclude gays as adult leaders.
The organization’s roughly 14,000 board members must still vote at a meeting the week of May 20 on whether to ratify the resolution and if approved, “no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone,” Deron Smith, the organization’s spokesman, told Reuters.
The BSA said it changed course due in part to results of surveys sent out this year to members of the scouting community.
Gay-rights groups have demanded a complete lifting of the ban, while some churches and conservative groups insist remains in its entirety, which raises the likelihood that the new proposal will draw continued criticism from both sides.
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Let’s hope Madonna’s prayers may have been answered.
Cam
So to any gay scouts what they are basically saying is….
You are bad and will grow up to be bad, and we will not allow people like you to participate in scouting once you grow up….because, you know, ……you are bad.
RomanHans
It’s definitely understandable. I mean, we never let straight men work with girls, just to be safe. Except for almost every high school coach in the world.
MuscleModelBlog.com
As the article stated, the battle is probably not over. From what I understand, churches and other religious organizations are where the BSA gets A LOT of its funding, so the BSA may have to bow to its funders’ wishes…doesn’t make it right, but in a world where money is power, they may have no choice…
mlbumiller
Just what is needed about of stright men telling gay youth how to be a man!
Kieran
Why don’t they change the Boy Scout motto to: “Every gay man is a potential child molester” while they’re at it? Pathetic.
Avenger
The BSA shouldn’t lift the ban on either. Let gays create their own social clubs to do whatever it is they do. Little kids shouldn’t be exposed to it.
Ann Mason
@Cam: My reaction was the same as yours. Viewing this strictly from a civil rights perspective will make us oblivious to what’s really going on.
Although progress is made in increments, the baby steps which constitute progress are often shallow and hurtful to someone.
The adults who control BSA policy are attempting to reach a political compromise. If they were sincere, they wouldn’t be proposing something which can damage some children’s self-esteem.
whatisthis
@Avenger: If you’re being serious and not trolling, exposed to what exactly? What do exclusively GAY people do that’s harmful to children? Are you afraid some gay kid is going to start listening to Barbara Streisand in his tent, forever corrupting all of the other scout members into being musical-loving sissies?
I mean honestly, what goes on in your head to think gay people automatically expose children to corruption? Your comment is proof that bigotry feeds stupidity.
Billysees
@Cam: 1
@RomanHans: 2
Very well said, especially No.1 Cam.
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Here’s my worry —
I see a possible serious and hurtful problem here.
If a Gay scout is known by the scout leaders, religiously conservative or uncaring scout leaders could attempt to “out” this person and thereby expose the scout to scorn and contempt and peer hatred.
A Gay scout could be like “Daniel in the lions’ den.”
Some kind of balance, within the scout leadership, would be much preferred in order to safely keep and protect the Gay scout from abuse and harm.
Gay youth MUST know that friends are nearby.
KylieA
I know how the BSA will solve no gay boy scout leader problem. After a gay boy scout gets the new “Conversion Therapy” merit badge he will no longer be gay and can become a scout master.
Billysees
I’m wondering something here.
Aren’t all scout leaders former scouts themselves ?
In which case the BSA proposal is “especially” troubling.
Or do they hire people to become scout leaders who have no previous association with scouting ?