BSA Overturns Gay Ban

Iro

TNPer
As you may know, the Boy Scouts of America has been the center stage of a hot American topic: homosexual boy scouts and scout leaders.

Advocates for equality, such as GLAAD, and more scout-specific the Inclusive Scouting Network and Scouts for Equality have clashed again and again with pro-Christian and tradition advocates such as the Family Research Council and On My Honor. I've been very vocal on this issue, mostly taking the side of the former for inclusive rights.

Yesterday, 1,400 members of the BSA National Council voted by secret ballot to partly soften the wall and allow gay scouts, if not leaders or anyone over 18.

The results were announced today at 5pm. The Council voted with a 61% majority to pass the motion. Effective New Year's 2014, gay scouts will officially be allowed in the Boy Scouts of America.

The Boy Scouts sent out a press release detailing the move. "The Boy Scouts of America will not sacrifice its mission, or the youth served by the movement, by allowing the organization to be consumed by a single, divisive, and unresolved societal issue," the release reads, adding that a decisive decision will hopefully eliminate the conflict that's been tearing the should-be-honorable group of scouters apart.

"While people have different opinions about this policy, we can all agree that kids are better off when they are in Scouting. Going forward, our Scouting family will continue to focus on reaching and serving youth in order to help them grow into good, strong citizens. America's youth need Scouting, and by focusing on the goals that unite us, we can continue to accomplish incredible things for young people and the communities we serve."

Scout-Equality.jpg
 
Funkadelia:
Unfortunately, there still can be no gay scout leaders.
True, and some people find it worse for that reason. I agree that the discrimination here is pretty bad, but on the other hand the physical fact of it is that gay scouts may now join. As Scouts for Equality puts it, Step 2 begins now.
 
Funkadelia:
Unfortunately, there still can be no gay scout leaders.
^This.

A good first step. I was about to say that kind of discrimination makes me sad, but 100 km East from here there's this country (Morroco) which explicitly forbids same sex relationships... Well that's worse. I guess every step on the good direction is valuable.
 
Truth, Lennart. Everyone's getting somewhere, and this is important precedent to begin with.
 
It's very good to see they've made this step, and I can understand that they've wanted to take things slowly. I'm guessing that some members of the BSA are worried about some people getting all worried about gay leaders and sexual abuse of boy scouts. I highly doubt that would be a serious issue in reality, though, as I think that's more a prejudice thing or scare-mongering.
 
Lennart:
Funkadelia:
Unfortunately, there still can be no gay scout leaders.
^This.

A good first step. I was about to say that kind of discrimination makes me sad, but 100 km East from here there's this country (Morroco) which explicitly forbids same sex relationships... Well that's worse. I guess every step on the good direction is valuable.
Um... every country you could possibly be residing in also outright prohibits same-sex relationships...
 
madjack:
Lennart:
Funkadelia:
Unfortunately, there still can be no gay scout leaders.
^This.

A good first step. I was about to say that kind of discrimination makes me sad, but 100 km East from here there's this country (Morroco) which explicitly forbids same sex relationships... Well that's worse. I guess every step on the good direction is valuable.
Um... every country you could possibly be residing in also outright prohibits same-sex relationships...
I don't understand that answer.

Here gay couples can even marry legally.
 
madjack:
Edit: Ignore, mixed up east with west. >_>
Lol Ok, then you're right; muslim Africa is a messed up place, for LGBT and Human Rights in general. Sadly I can't see no light at the end of that tunnel...
 
Something awful that r3n brought to my attention on IRC. Not exactly related to Scouts, but related to equality as a whole. This is a quote from an article about a debate in the Federation Chamber of the Australian House of Representatives on a proposal to allow same sex marriage. The MP quotes is from Western Australia, the state I am from.

"WA MP Dennis Jensen told the chamber the term marriage equality was "Orwellian doublespeak."
"Anyone, gay, bi or heterosexual can marry a partner of the opposite sex," he said.
"There is no discrimination there.""

As r3n said on IRC, it's so bad it's almost amusing.

Full article here: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/05/27/22/04/lib-mp-says-gay-marriage-already-exists
 
Lennart:
Funkadelia:
Unfortunately, there still can be no gay scout leaders.
^This.

A good first step. I was about to say that kind of discrimination makes me sad, but 100 km East from here there's this country (Morroco) which explicitly forbids same sex relationships... Well that's worse. I guess every step on the good direction is valuable.
Well, they live in their calendar year 1400-something after all :P
 
... I hope that doesn't mean they need 600 more years of that crap...

Also hello Ali, I kinda missed you ;)
 
It's good to see that the BSA isn't kicking out boys just because they're gay. It does send a better message to them. I wish scout leaders could be openly gay, but progress is usually measured in inches (or centimeters).
 
Neues Grossdeutsches Reich:
It's good to see that the BSA isn't kicking out boys just because they're gay. It does send a better message to them. I wish scout leaders could be openly gay, but progress is usually measured in inches (or centimeters).
That's a very common opinion, and I'm glad that you share it. I hope that we can get there!
 
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