Just when you thought you heard everything about the anti gay homophobic Boy Scouts of America there’s more to tell. Their application actually reads "The Boy Scouts of America will not employ... known or avowed homosexuals." However "Conviction of a crime is not an automatic bar to employment" according to the application. That’s how it appears on their job application that was uncovered by HRC. Chad Griffin, President of HRC stated, “As if the nationwide ban on gay Scouts & Scout leaders wasn't appalling enough, the BSA won't think twice before trashing a resume from somebody who's gay or lesbian. And while the 'wrong' sexual orientation is an immediate disqualifier according to the application, a criminal conviction is not. The BSA is an organization that prides itself on leadership. Yet its discriminatory policies seem to teach young participants that it's perfectly fine to exclude people based on sexual orientation. And the message these policies send to gay youth who already struggle to feel accepted is just heartbreaking.
The Marines, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force & the Coast Guard have all ended discrimination based on sexual orientation. Isn't it time the Boy Scouts follow suit?
Tell the Boy Scouts: Your blatant brand of discrimination is unacceptable. It's time to enact a national non-discrimination policy for BOTH membership & employment.” Updates to Come...:)
All too often we are seeing that one by one, those organizations that have been visibly anti-gay are now being economically forced into revising their stance. They do this grudgingly and deceitfully, trying their best to not fully-cross the line to endorse full equality for all. They think no one notices, and in fact think that they will be applauded as they bend just a little without really changing their principles. They hope to still appease the hard right and evangelicals, while hoping that the LGBT community will not see that in fact they have done little to nothing at all. Pathetic comes to mind...and it just plain won't work! They cannot walk on the fence without being seen as doing just that...pathetically dishonest.
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