Boy Scouts Vote to Allow Gay Boys

[Andara Bledin]

In a secret vote on Thursday, the Boy Scouts of America passed a resolution to begin accepting openly gay boys among their ranks. There is still a ban on gay adults, but it is a step in the right direction.

Of course, bigot groups are up in arms and threatening a mass defection, but I suspect that they'll end up crawling back when they find out just how much effort it takes to create such a group and how hard it will be to gain people's trust.

Several prominent individuals, including Texas Governor Rick Perry, spoke out against the decision, while rival groups claim that the response is "bowing to bullying" from sponsors and the public.

However, the Mormon church gave what on it's face was a positive comment, while the Catholic church reserved judgement, taking a waiting position before declaring whether the change is positive or not.

Story at ABC

[s_stabeler]

about time. now, when this doesn't cause the collapse of the Scouts, hooefully they'll remove all restrictions on gay Scouts. ( You still can't get a gay Scout Leader)

[Greenday]

Of course, bigot groups are up in arms and threatening a mass defection

As if anyone would miss these people.

[wolfie]

One argument I've heard against allowing homosexual group leaders was that they were an increased risk of molesting the scouts. Of course, whoever made that argument wasn't using logic, since the BSA bar ALL homosexual group leaders, regardless of gender.

I'd like to hear their argument about why a lesbian group leader would pose a higher risk of molesting adolescent boys than a heterosexual woman would.

[Gravekeeper]

Public opinion is for them = The people have spoken, the free market works.
Public opinion is against them = People are "bullying" them.

>.>

[Greenday]

One argument I've heard against allowing homosexual group leaders was that they were an increased risk of molesting the scouts.

That makes sense since all the molestation stories usually contain gay men who have come out, right? It's clearly the men who are honest and open with their sexuality that are the problem!

/sarcasm

[Mr. Anubite]

One argument I've heard against allowing homosexual group leaders was that they were an increased risk of molesting the scouts. Of course, whoever made that argument wasn't using logic, since the BSA bar ALL homosexual group leaders, regardless of gender.

I'd like to hear their argument about why a lesbian group leader would pose a higher risk of molesting adolescent boys than a heterosexual woman would.

There actually has been at least one lesbian leader who lost her position as a result of the policy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/b...ian-den-mother

[Racket_Man]

One argument I've heard against allowing homosexual group leaders was that they were an increased risk of molesting the scouts. Of course, whoever made that argument wasn't using logic, since the BSA bar ALL homosexual group leaders, regardless of gender.

I'd like to hear their argument about why a lesbian group leader would pose a higher risk of molesting adolescent boys than a heterosexual woman would.

Yeah I wonder what all those abuse/molestation files/records the BSA tried to hide for the last 50 years show?????

[Seifer]

Now I just hope that any openly gay boy scouts are protected from hate speech and bullying.

[Panacea]

Yeah I wonder what all those abuse/molestation files/records the BSA tried to hide for the last 50 years show?????

They show a lot of happily married men who like the power trip of abusing little boys.

Gay men are no more likely to molest children than straight men, and an openly gay leader is so likely to be monitored unofficially I find it highly unlikely any abuse would take place in the rare instances it might come up.

There is no reason to ban gay scout leaders other than keeping the last bastion of homophobia alive and well.

I think the BSA will adapt and survive. Anyone who leaves and tries to start a rival organization will fail utterly.

[Andara Bledin]

One of the things to remember, and what was likely a big push to force the BSA to make those changes, is that corporate sponsors are much, much less likely to sponsor a group that is specifically anti-gay.

Running an organization of that size and reach is expensive. Without their corporate sponsors, they cannot exist. There are very few corporate sponsors who would be willing to have their name's attached to bigotry. Public sentiment has shifted past the point of no return, and the people with the money want to keep making money, so they're going to alienate the smaller group, and bigots, as loud as they are, are the smaller group.

Considering that BSA disallows sexual activity by it's young members as a a matter of course, the sexuality of its members and leaders should be utterly irrelevant.

[fireheart17]

Considering that BSA disallows sexual activity by it's young members as a a matter of course, the sexuality of its members and leaders should be utterly irrelevant.

I'm guessing that it's nowhere near enforceable though....

[Panacea]

I'm guessing that it's nowhere near enforceable though....

Of course not. We can't enforce it in society in general.

But here's the thing: you're more likely to see gay boys in the BSA engaging in that kind of behavior than a gay scout leader with a Boy Scout.

In which case you've already got a policy to deal with it.

[fireheart17]

But here's the thing: you're more likely to see gay boys in the BSA engaging in that kind of behavior than a gay scout leader with a Boy Scout.

In which case you've already got a policy to deal with it.

I'm guessing for them it's a curiosity thing...they're curious about what it feels like, rather than anything else.

The Scout group down here (boys and girls) has no rule against sexuality and you can pledge to "your" god. Even if your god happens to be your mother/father/teacher.

On the other hand, the Girl Guides (your version would be Girl Scouts-and yes, they do sell cookies but not door-to-door ) only recently changed their pledge to remove God entirely, which sent everyone into a frenzy because somehow removing the word "God" from the pledge and replacing it with "my beliefs" somehow means that Christianity is being oppressed or Australia is losing their so-called Christian heritage.

[Panacea]

The Girl Scouts don't sell door to door here in the US anymore, either. Usually the parents take the sign up sheet to work, or the girls sell from a table at grocery stores or Walmart.

Ugh. I hate the folks who view any attempt to include everyone's beliefs as an attack on Christianity. But that's a whole other thread . . .