Boy Scouts Move To End Ban On Gay Members

The Boy Scouts of America are moving toward ending their ban on gay members, Reuters reported on Friday, citing Deron Smith, a spokesperson for the organization. The board will vote on the resolution in May.

If ratified, the measure would ensure that “no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone,” Smith said.

Per Reuters…

Smith noted that the decision drew from three months of research, surveys and discussions and was “among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today.”

The deliberations over whether to admit openly gay and lesbian members to the Boy Scouts has divided organizers, polarized its corporate and religious sponsors, and placed the group at the center of a nationwide debate over gay rights over the past two years.

The organization “will maintain the current membership policy for all adult leaders.” The New York Times also noted another point emphasized by the organization’s resolution:

The proposed resolution also emphasizes that “scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether homosexual or heterosexual, by youth of scouting age is contrary to the virtues of scouting.”

The resolution continues, “The Boy Scouts of America does not have an agenda on the matter of sexual orientation, and resolving this complex issue is not the role of the organization, nor may any member use scouting to promote or advance any social or political position or agenda.”

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