OUTTAKE BLOG™: BSA Bans Gay & Lesbian Leaders

Monday, April 22, 2013

BSA Bans Gay & Lesbian Leaders

In case you missed it, while we were in lockdown in Boston & the whole country was watching, the Boy Scouts of America decided to release their revised Membership Standards Resolution, which if approved would open scouting to gay youth but would maintain the organization's ban on gay & lesbian parents & leaders. Jennifer Tyrrell who was ousted as leader of her son's Cub Scouts pack in April 2012 because she's gay stated, "I am appalled at the Boys Scouts' announcement. The fact that they are still telling children their parents aren't good enough is heartbreaking to me. How many times do families like mine have to be rejected by this organization? The release of this information at the same time our fellow Americans in Boston are suffering so much is nothing short of despicable. In a time, when we as a country need to stand up and show solidarity, compassion & love for all, the BSA is continuing to divide the country with their discriminatory policy." Rich Ferraro, Vice President of Communications at GLAAD added, "Yet again, the Boy Scouts of America has failed its members, corporate sponsors, donors & the millions of Americans who agree that the time to end discrimination in Scouting is now. By refusing to consider an end to its ban on gay & lesbian parents, the Boy Scouts have missed an opportunity to exercise leadership & usher the organization back to relevancy. We're living in a culture where, until every young person & parent have the same opportunity to serve, the Boy Scouts will continue to see a decline in both membership & donations." I spoke to Jennifer Tyrrell about this at the GLAAD Awards in NYC in this exclusive audio byte: