Boy Scouts to Consider Allowing Gays

I was a boy scout as was my son.  But that was some years ago before the Boy Scouts of America proved to be a decidedly anti-gay organization and adopted increasingly anti-gay policies and went on a purge of gay scouts and gay troop leaders such as the Ohio lesbian mother recently ridden out of the Scouts on a rail.  Now, after losing funding in many areas (I ceased all financial support to scouting year back) and certainly wracking up often disastrous PR, the national office of the Boy Scouts of America has admitted that it is considering altering its policies to allow local chapters to be gay inclusive.  Adding to the public pressure was the delivery of over 300,000 petitions calling for a change that were delivered by former Eagle Scout Zack Wahls (pictured above).  Needless to say, if the change is approved, the Christofascists will be sputtering and spraying spittle as they fall into convulsions.  Here are highlights from The Advocate:

The Boy Scouts confirmed today that it is considering a change of policy that lets gay scouts and leaders serve openly in local chapters.

The announcement comes after activist Zach Wahls delivered 275,000 petition signatures to the group and met with its leadership. Wahls, an Eagle Scout who has two moms, was outraged that a lesbian mother had been removed as den leader for a Cub Scout troop. And he got back into his uniform and delivered the petition on her behalf last week.

"I love the organization and I refuse to stand by idly as it forfeits its cultural relevancy at the very moment this country needs it most," said Wahls, author of My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family.

Ohioan Jennifer Tyrrell was a volunteer for her 7-year-old son's troop and said that after a year of service she lost the post and had her membership revoked "just because I happen to be gay." Tyrrell was told that being gay meant she did "not meet the high standards of membership that the BSA seeks."

Now nearly 300,000 people have signed Tyrrell's petition on Change.org. And that includes a growing list of celebrities such as The Hunger Games's Josh Hutcherson, singer Ricky Martin and Glee's Dianna Agron.

If the policy change is approved this time, the Boy Scouts wouldn't make any change until 2013, but Tyrrell said in reaction that it "is definitely a huge step in the right direction."