The Boy Scouts of America seem to progress about a quarter century behind the rest of the country. That would put them today in the social equivalent of 1989.
In 1989, gay people were tolerated, which is a far cry from accepted. Of course in the actual 1989, the Scouts were operating at a 1964 level; aka, don’t even whisper “gay” if you know what’s good for you (though I could swear there was a lot of muffled commotion in bunk three last night). Better to stuff those feelings down and wait ten years to pop the cork in therapy.
Repression gets so much better with age.
Let’s get back to today, 2014, or 1989 in Scout terms. Gay Scouts are finally able to join, because, you know, “we’re open minded.” But gay Scout leaders are still out of the question. “Just think of the children!”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
But Boy Scouts of America national commissioner Hector ‘Tico’ Perez wants you to know it’s definitely not homophobic to ban gays from leadership roles. And his reasoning is kind of like a nervous kid saying, “I definitely didn’t eat the cookie. That cookie that was in the jar with the sprinkles and yellow frosting? No, I didn’t eat that one.” You’d believe him, right?
Here’s what Tico had to say in an interview with InfinitelyWild when he was asked if the Scouts considers gay adults “predators or pedophiles”:
“Let me be as clear as I can be on that topic: No, no and no. This has never been an issue of predators or pedophilia.
We have studied every piece of data and every piece of information that the rest of the world has and there is no relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia. That is not the issue.”
So what is the issue?
“Our focus is the kids, we are not a political organization, we serve young people.”
Ahh of course. It’s still only 1989, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
DB75
Well, I’d say that it is at least some progress. I want to see the glass half full, not half empty. I think it’s getting there (would be nice if it were already, but…c’est la vie, non?).
My local BS troop welcomes all – they do not discriminate. They find that to be against their morals.
Too bad not all are like that.
Maude
If I’m 17 and my lover is 18, that makes him a child molester.
Who’s the sick sob that sees any sense in that?
I don’t know where the line between child and adult should be, but how about if you have hair under your arms and around your dick, you’re old enough to have sex with anyone you want, as long as he or she has hair in those places too.
Paul Nadolski
Someday I’d love to be involved in Scouting again. As a former Eagle Scout, I know being in the Boy Scouts did a lot to shape my character, and definitely influenced my love of the outdoors and my strong environmental ethic.
Hopefully the day will come when the POV expressed here will be accepted by the Boy Scouts. Until then, I won’t be giving them any of my time or money.
DickieJohnson
@Maude: Yo, Maude! That makes more sense than anything I’ve ever heard on the subject!
Also, I know a world-class d*ck-head ex-Marine who uses “pedophile” instead of “gay”. The guy is a true A-hole in every other way, as well.
Bopper1
…all of this is just the death rattle of the old guard…the BSA is clearly evolving towards full inclusion, not fast enough, but faster than I would ever have thought was possible…most of the young people I know really don’t care about anyone’s sexuality and the stranglehold church organisations have traditionally had on American “morality” continues to erode…gay scouts are OK now…hooray…the senior scouts and scout leaders are next and it WILL come…
Teeth
I don’t think “If there’s grass on the field, play ball” is a good plan for figuring age-of-consent. But it does need to be much more elegant than the capricious idea that one day you are a kid and the next an adult.
enlightenone
@DB75: Well from a psychological perspective, not a political one, or an ego-driven one, the glass is still empty. If this revelation has any value, it’s that these closet case old perverts are milking it – pun intended – for all it’s worth! If any gay children suffers in any troop outside of yours, they/we all suffer!
enlightenone
@DickieJohnson: 13/80. Still “…makes more sense than anything I’ve ever heard on the subject?” Of course, I get it.
Unfortunately and tragic for some like a 17-year-old young person and his 18-year-old boyfriend/girlfriend being charged as a criminal for statutory rape happens more out of vengeance, ignorance, and/or spite is asinine, but it’s the nature of the beast, i.e. the federal and state courts out of reaction, political purposes, not to leave out religion create systems of laws that, more often than not, can and has backfired one too many times. We are still a young country/Democracy trying to mature and evolve in spits and starts!
Teeth
Well, in CA a typical 17/18 y/o couple would not get prosecuted.. I forgot what the # is, but there has to be a significant age difference. Whole other issue– But as far as BSA, I don’t know if this is much of a step forward. I was a BS most of my childhood– I left it because my life got busy, the ban on gays wasn’t on my mind.. but I think it’s a shame that they think gay kids are not also kids worthy of scouting.
Matt1961
To be honest, and honesty is supposed to be a part of Scouting, the real reason Gay adults are not allowed is because of MONEY. The National Council BSA pays it’s professional employees anywhere from a paultry $100,000 / year to the top dogs that make close to $750,000 annually. If they were to work toward allowing gay adults, they’d lose money and membership, both of which would hurt their personal bottom lines. It’s a sad thing to say but true.
Esteban1972
So one person says that homosexuality is not pedophilia; but the remaining hundreds of thousands who are not bound by this opinion continue to believe and practice the belief that the two are synonymous.
“Our focus is the kids, we are not a political organization, we serve young people.” Really? Health & Human Services reports on child maltreatment show over and over, decade after decade, that mothers commit more child abuse than all other demographics combined. Yet mothers are welcomed in leadership roles.
Call me skeptical, but I call BS.
gaym50ish
When the secret files on sex abusers within the Boy Scouts from 1965 to 1985 were released and published online, there were 1,247 names on the list. Each abuser had molested, on average, more than one Boy Scout.
Obviously, banning gay men from the leadership hasn’t worked to prevent sex abuse. The ban on gays does not keep out molesters because the molesters are almost never out, proud gay men. The answer to preventing abuse is vigilance — in ANY institution.