Boy Scouts of America votes to ease ban on gay members

[OddSockMonster]

I know the UK Scout movement isn't completely there on full inclusion of everyone (unless anyone knows if they've made a descision on the whole aethiest debate yet), but I'm certainly glad it's a bit more enlightened than in the US.

I had no idea about the no gays rule till last night's The New Normal (which I guess was deliberately aimed at this). I hope it won't be too long till the exclusion on gay adults is lifted too.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22650143

[BarbarianMum]

Am quite that the ban existed at all! Please reassure me that no such ban is in place in the UK.

[lljkk]

Good.

[Londonseye]

It is a step in the right direction. Shame it still excludes gay scout leaders.

[OddSockMonster]

No, it's fine to be gay in the UK scouts...

www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/pdfs/fs185081.pdf

[pussycatwillum]

Gays used to be banned from English Scouts. Our local Scout group was the biggest in the county and the leader (very popular and the main reason why it was so successful) was made to leave when it became public that he was gay. This was in the 80s. Made the national papers (quite an achievement for such a quiet backwater). Move on to the 2000s and whilst he never returned as leader he often used to go to meetings to teach the Scouts and no-one turned a hair.

[Londonseye]

I know but the article was referring to America :)

[pussycatwillum]

Was responding to Barbarian. Sorry.

[HanShotFirst]

It's all well and good allowing gay scouts to join, which I think was long overdue anyway, but what message does it send to those scouts, straight or gay, that gay scout leaders are not considered suitable to lead? That gay people are just not good role models? Or capable? Or 'safe'?

[fridayfreedom]

There was a lot of discussion about this at the last world jamboree. USA is due to host the next but one jamboree so it was questioned if they could do this if they excluded gay members.
My dd camped next to a USA group, one scout was very firm in his views re gay people so my dd's fellow male scouts hugged and held hands when he was around to wind him up. [:D]

[OddSockMonster]

Good for them friday!

[Saralyn]

The interesting thing is that the Girl Scouts of America have no problem with lesbian leaders, it's just the Boy Scouts of America that have this ban, hope progress is made soon.