This is Jeffrey Simon. He was a Boy Scout for sixteen years, and reached the organization’s highest rank — Eagle Scout. He’s also gay, and when he came out at 19 years old, the Scouts gave him the boot.
The Boy Scouts reversed their ban on gays, but only youth members. Once you’re 18 you’ve got to go.
But rather than throw up his arms in defeat or scream “foul,” Jeffrey decided to channel his frustration into something creative and productive.
Thus the web series Camp Abercorn was born. The independent production will follow the staff at a fictional summer camp for the Compass Guides of America, an organization mirroring the BSA.
How about we take this to the next level?
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The show will tackle the gay issue as well as other problems within the Scouts while still serving as an ode to everything Jeffrey cherishes about the experience of camaraderie and character building he encountered during his time there.
Here he is explaining it:
The project seeks to highlight the, “awesome potential of Scouting for shaping boys into the men who will lead us into the future; men who treat everyone equally regardless of their gender or sexual preference,” while hopefully influencing the Scouts to readdress their membership policy and lift the gay ban.
For more info check out the project’s Indiegogo page, where you can also donate if you feel inclined.
Here’s the trailer for the show:
hoosier1969
Eagle Scout here who is hopeful that one day the BSA will end their bigotry towards gay adults. Show looks great!
Paul Nadolski
Until the ban is rescinded, I won’t be giving any $$$ to the Boy Scouts, even though as an Eagle Scout myself I’d love to…