In
the face of mounting national opposition to institutional
discrimination, the leadership of the Boy Scouts of America is debating a
policy which would end its nationwide ban on gay Scouts and Scout
leaders. However, this policy would replace the ban with a system in
which sponsoring organizations can decide to institute their own bans on
gay Scouts and troop leaders.
HRC President Chad Griffin made the following statement:
“The policy proposed will not result in the full inclusion of gay
Scouts or gay Scout leaders across the country. While it is good news
that the onerous national ban will come to an end, it’s not acceptable
to abdicate nondiscrimination standards to local units. It’s akin to a
national restaurant chain saying that it will not discriminate at its
corporate headquarters, but allow local restaurants to discriminate at
will.
Make no mistake, this policy creates a separate but equal system where
some troops welcome all members and others still turn gay Scouts away.
This problem will only be solved when BSA proactively institutes a
national nondiscrimination policy that prohibits anti-gay discrimination
so that no young American or family is excluded from the proud
tradition of Scouting.”
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation today announced more stringent
criterion for the Corporate Equality Index (CEI). To receive a perfect
score, companies would have to prohibit philanthropic giving to
non-religious organizations that have a written policy of anti-gay
discrimination, or permit its chapters, affiliates, or troops to do so.
HRC’s recent survey of LGBT youth reinforces the need to remove
obstacles to full participation in extracurricular activities: 64% of
LGBT teens (compared to just 47% of non-LGBT teens) report that they
never participate in afterschool or other recreational activities.
Exclusion from Scouting negatively impacts the overall well-being and
sense of community connection among LGBT youth.