It’s tough to entirely defend the Boy Scouts of America seeing as they’ve only recently lifted their ban on gay scouts and still won’t allow gay adults as leaders (won’t somebody think of the children??!), but at least they’re inching in the right direction.
The same can certainly not be said for “Trail Life,” a reactionary scouting-esque Christian organization to pop up in the wake of the lifted gay Scouting ban. While still small in numbers compared to the 2.5 million Boy Scouts, they’ve managed to get 600 units up and running spanning 40 states.
All because of the chance that the boys might have to interact with people who are — imagine this — slightly different.
Trail Life’s official policy reads:
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.
“We grant membership to adults and youth who do not engage in or promote sexual immorality of any kind, or engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the program.”
It shouldn’t come as a shock that the majority of Trail Life families are also home schoolers. Why bother exposing your children to the beautiful spectrum of human experience when you can insulate them from expanded consciousness and set them up for an inevitable rude awakening?
Quality parenting at its finest.
HirsuteOne
Considering the majority of sexual predation comes from straight people and family members or people otherwise known to the victim, these kids are even more subject to victimization.
corey
I agree with HirsuteOne. It’s like a bunch of priests being handed young boys who look up to the men that lead them and look to them as role models, wanting to please them. A kid doesn’t even have to come from a “broken home” or anything that would make him insecure and an easy target. Also, your a gay kid, what happens when u have a crush on one of the adult males? Does the adult male sit the kid down and say its not normal and he just needs a good woman, leading many young gays into depression, drug abuse, suicide, or even getting married to a woman then breaking up a family after he accepts he is gay or gives his wife stds from sleeping with men at pick up places! There is no win for anyone. Well the child rapist like mentioned earlier will gladly show a young questioning gay person how real men have sex and it will be they’re “little secret”.
TrekBear
Are they going to toss out adulterous scout leaders and others who don’t conform to their “strict” morality?
Dakotahgeo
Non-parenting at its finest!
Polaro
Very sad concept. Every boy is unique. Every boy can be damaged by hate. At some point people will have to just let boys who they are going to be and provide some great guidance and support to get them there. Hate is neither good guidance or support for anyone.
manjoguy
I’m glad I’m living in a country where we have a choice. If someone doesn’t like another group’s beliefs s/he can go ahead and start another group. I wish the Trail Life group good luck. I wish we gays could stop the Christianity-bashing and be thankful we live in a country where we have the freedoms to the extent that we do. Anyone care to speak out about youth groups in muslim countries?( They had better think twice if they were to choose to do so…)