If you need to transition the culture of a large, bureaucratic organization to encourage gay participation, it looks like the person to call is Robert Gates. The former defense secretary played a major role in Congress' ability to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" five years ago, and the military branches' development policies that led to a smooth transition to open service by lesbian and gay service members 10 months later. This week, Gates, now volunteer national president of the Boy Scouts of America, was able to shepherd the Scouts' national executive board toward finally dropping the organization's ban on gay troop leaders. Gates, who assumed the Boy Scouts presidency last year, took months to orchestrate a plan that started with vetting the policy and ended with persuading members of the national board to approve it.
Two years ago, before Gates took the helm, the Scouts had allowed gay youth to participate in scouting, but kept the ban on gay adults. It was a decision that satisfied no one, and, as we noted at the time, made no sense. Once those gay youth grew up and became gay men, they'd be forced to leave an organization they loved. Moreover, the gay adult ban sent a dangerous message to gay youth: you can be a gay Scout, but need to go back into the closet if you want to remain involved as an adult. So thankfully, the Scouts' national board realized it had an unworkable policy and changed it.
There is one large caveat that is concerning: the new policy allows for a religious exemption so that conservative church-based troops can continue to exclude gays. Despite that compromise, the Mormon Church, one of the nation's largest sponsors of Scout troops, is considering leaving the organization. As gay author and commentator Michelangelo Signorile noted this week, the problem with the religious exemption is that it allows people who would discriminate to keep discriminating. It's the same issue that roiled Indiana and other states earlier this year, when Republican leaders decided that the best way to combat same-sex marriage is to allow businesses to discriminate against gay couples by citing their religious opposition. Despite the Mormon Church's backing of a gay rights law in Utah this year, church leaders are not softening their previous stance in this case.
To be clear, scouting membership has declined in recent years. It fell by 6 percent in 2013, the year that openly gay youth were allowed, and fell by 7 percent last year. There are an estimated 2.4 million youth enrolled in scouting, the New York Times reported. But scouting is in decline for many reasons, including more activity choices for young people. The Times noted that the Boy Scouts are seeking to increase appeal by offering new adventure camps and new merit badges in subjects like robotics and animation.
Overall, the Scouts' decision to lift the ban on gay troop leaders is a welcome development. It's the next logical step in the evolution of the Boy Scouts, and will enable gay Scout youth to grow into leadership roles in most parts of the country. The religious exception is a problem, and there will be challenges to it if gay adults are determined to be active volunteers. We think the national organization will eventually work this out.
California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) struck the right tone in a statement she released after the national board's decision.
"Today is another step forward for equality, with the Boy Scouts of America finally joining other youth organizations in ending its ban on gay leaders and volunteers," Atkins, a lesbian, said. "I am hopeful we will see even more progress from the Boy Scouts going forward. Because the lifting of the ban still allows some chapters to refuse gay leaders and volunteers, however, I'm sure we can expect some pockets of opposition to remain, much like we've seen with some county clerks refusing to issue marriage licenses. Given the 'sea change' the Boy Scouts noted in the decision to lift the ban, I believe that opposition will find themselves on the wrong side of history."
We want youth organizations like the Boy Scouts �" and the already-inclusive Girl Scouts �" to succeed in today's society. Kids need structure in their lives and scouting provides valuable leadership and social skills that contribute to their healthy development. But such groups must be able to accommodate all youth �" and all adults who want to volunteer their time and talents. With this week's decision by the Boy Scouts, it has come closer to achieving that goal.