Leaders of the Boy Scouts of America are expected to vote Thursday (May 23) on a proposal that would allow gay boys into scouting, but continue to prohibit gay men from being troop leaders. The Boy Scouts' ban on openly gay members and troop leaders has been on the books for decades and even survived a U.S. Supreme Court challenge in 2000 because it is a private organization. So with this background, the current proposal is indeed a step in the right direction.
But it's critical that the BSA, should it adopt the new policy, not stop with the admission of gay boys and that it go on to embrace full equality, including allowing gay men (and lesbians) to be troop leaders and den mothers. And we think BSA executives know that it's only a matter of time until this happens. For one thing, Scout leaders must realize that openly gay boys will grow up to be openly gay men, and that some of these men will want to remain involved with scouting. Normally, a youth group would welcome a member as he ascends to leadership rank or after aging out of a program. The proposal that BSA officials will be voting on rejects that natural progression. Additionally, the proposed policy change sends a negative and mixed message to gay boys, even as it's touted as a positive step. It's telling them they 1) must leave scouting when they turn 18, or 2) must go back in the closet. Neither is acceptable.
Then there is the problematic message inherent in BSA's proposal: that gay men are dangerous and should be viewed as sexual predators. This is total crap, and is perpetrated by anti-gay groups like the Family Research Council and American Family Association. In fact, as Media Matters notes, the "gays as pedophiles" talking point has been widely debunked by child welfare experts. The BSA itself has acknowledged this, stating on its own website that "the BSA makes no connection between the sexual abuse or victimization of a child and homosexuality." The Scouts, having been burned by past child sex abuse scandals, also have what officials call "stringent" policies in place for the safety and privacy of youth and adult members. And they should have those policies, just like any other reputable youth organization.
After years of petitions from gay rights supporters and dismissals of gay youth and leaders BSA appears to be on the brink of slowly opening the closet door. And indeed, a door partway open is better than one completely shut. But in the ensuing months, Scout leaders must commit to revisiting the policy. If they don't, the issue likely will be foisted upon them once gay Scouts begin aging out of the program and want to remain as volunteer troop leaders. BSA as an organization should commit to its mission of preparing young people to "make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and law."
It's time that the Scout Oath and law are updated to more realistically reflect today's society, and acknowledge that upstanding citizens can be gay. Expanding its policy to accept openly gay adults as troop leaders would be a historic milestone on the way to achieving full equality.