Historic Vote by Boy Scouts of America Merits Our Attention (Blog)

"A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."

Thursday night, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) ended its national ban on gay youth by a majority vote of its 1400-member National Council in a secret ballot. This is the first time in the organization’s history that the BSA has welcomed openly gay youth. Yet the new policy—which will go into effect January 2014—would still bar gay Scout leaders.

For years the Girls Scouts, 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Camp Fire Boys and Girls have been inclusive. Gays and lesbians can now serve openly and proudly in the United States military. Twelve states celebrate marriage equality. The world is changing. It’s time for the BSA to change as well.

BSA has always offered youth an amazing array of skills and experiences. Today a youngster can still learn how to build a campfire or design a video game. Merit badges range from American Business to Wilderness; from Bugling to Fingerprinting; from Disabilities Awareness to Nuclear Science. Opportunities include camping at a local Scout camp to high adventures which include canoe treks, aquatic and boating explorations, backpacking treks and wilderness experiences. On May 23, the governing body voted to include gay youth in these activities and in its goals toward character development, citizenship and fitness. Here at One Iowa, we acknowledge that historic move toward equality and fairness. But the BSA still has a long way to go before regaining the trust of its donors, members and the American people—a majority of whom think this ban must end not only for youth, but for adults too.

Hasn't the trajectory of Scouting been about moving onward and upward? The Cub Scout moves from Tiger Cub to Wolf to Bear, and on to the Webelos. The Boy Scout begins as a Tenderfoot and then Second Class, First Class, Star Scout, Life Scout and finally Eagle Scout. The path then leads to Scout Leader. The Boy Scout website declares: "Scouting is always in need of qualified leaders, and who better than a former
 Scout?" Unfortunately for gay youth, as a result of the partial lift they will not be able to answer this calling. For them, Scouting now comes with an expiration date. What kind of message does this send to our youth?

The BSA has a real opportunity here to set a positive example for our youth. Why should gay parents like Jennifer Tyrrell, the Ohio mom who was ousted as leader of her son’s Cub Scout pack because she is a lesbian, have to go home and tell their young boys who are involved in the Boy Scouts that their family isn’t good enough? We know that these families are good enough, and that they should be treated fairly and with as much respect as anybody else. With the new adopted policy, the BSA is saying those gay teens that have been involved in Scouting their entire lives no longer have to worry about losing their membership within the BSA—that is, until they turn 18, when they will no longer be allowed to participate. This kind of logic is wrong, plain and simple.

A brief glimpse at the history of BSA shows us that there was once real controversy around the inclusion of African American youngsters. W.D. Boyce, a founder of the BSA, specified that the organization should not discriminate based on race. Yet, the organization finally posited that local communities should abide by the policies of their school systems. As a result, segregated cities had segregated troops until the late 1940s. Beginning in 1913 there were also troops segregated by religion with Catholic troops and Catholic leadership and a similar arrangement with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon Church). The Boy Scouts of America has found its way before, and our hope is it will continue to move forward.

We understand the complexities of the Boy Scout dilemma. One of the largest non-profit organizations in the nation, more than 110 million Americans have been members of the BSA. The largest chartered organization within the BSA is the Mormon Church with almost 40,000 organizations and almost half a million youth (yet it’s important to note that the Mormon Church supports the policy change to allow gay Scouts). The United Methodist and then Catholic congregations, parent and teacher groups, other denominations and other citizen groups follow them. Clearly this will be a difficult transition for some, but one that must be made.

Today I hope that we can recognize a change in policy while looking forward to a change in direction from the BSA. But the fact remains: given Thursday's vote, the life-long path of Scouting will continue to be denied to adults who are gay. It is my fervent hope that the Boy Scouts of America, an organization that continues to have a profound impact on boys across this nation, will decide to be intentional and thoughtful as it moves forward and decides whether it will stand on the right side of justice. The decision to admit gay youth is at least a welcome step in the right direction.