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Boy Scouts of America calls for end to ban on gay members Boy Scouts of America calls for end to ban on gay members
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The Boy Scouts of America bowed to pressure and called for an end to its long-standing ban on openly gay youth members Friday, but the organization intends to uphold its ban on gay adult leaders.The Boy Scouts of America bowed to pressure and called for an end to its long-standing ban on openly gay youth members Friday, but the organization intends to uphold its ban on gay adult leaders.
The BSA will submit a proposal to the roughly 1,400 voting members of its National Council at a meeting in Texas the week of May 20. If the vote is approved, "no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone," Deron Smith, the organization's spokesman, told Reuters.The BSA will submit a proposal to the roughly 1,400 voting members of its National Council at a meeting in Texas the week of May 20. If the vote is approved, "no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone," Deron Smith, the organization's spokesman, told Reuters.
The compromise comes as gay-rights groups have demanded a complete lifting of the ban amid political support from both president Barack Obama and former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Corporate sponsors, including drugs giant Merck, have suspended funding for the BSA, citing its discrimination against gay people.The compromise comes as gay-rights groups have demanded a complete lifting of the ban amid political support from both president Barack Obama and former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Corporate sponsors, including drugs giant Merck, have suspended funding for the BSA, citing its discrimination against gay people.
At the same time some religious and conservative groups have pressed for the ban to remain. The organisation estimates that easing the ban on gay adults could cost the organization 100,000 to 350,000 members. The BSA was founded in 1910 and has 2.7m youth members and over 1m adult volunteers. The Supreme Court upheld its right to ban gay members in 2000.At the same time some religious and conservative groups have pressed for the ban to remain. The organisation estimates that easing the ban on gay adults could cost the organization 100,000 to 350,000 members. The BSA was founded in 1910 and has 2.7m youth members and over 1m adult volunteers. The Supreme Court upheld its right to ban gay members in 2000.
The organisation said in January it was considering letting local scout units decide whether or not to admit gays as youth members or adult leaders or to continue the exclusion.The organisation said in January it was considering letting local scout units decide whether or not to admit gays as youth members or adult leaders or to continue the exclusion.
The BSA said it had changed course after a survey of 1m members "created an outpouring of feedback". According to the BSA, respondents supported the current policy of excluding gays by a margin of 61% to 34%, while a majority of younger parents and teens opposed the policy. "While perspectives and opinions vary significantly, parents, adults in the Scouting community and teens alike tend to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting," the BSA said in a statement.The BSA said it had changed course after a survey of 1m members "created an outpouring of feedback". According to the BSA, respondents supported the current policy of excluding gays by a margin of 61% to 34%, while a majority of younger parents and teens opposed the policy. "While perspectives and opinions vary significantly, parents, adults in the Scouting community and teens alike tend to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting," the BSA said in a statement.
Many of the religious organizations expressed concern over having gay adult leaders and were less concerned about gay youth members, the BSA said. The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Southern Baptist churches have all lobbied for a continuation of the ban.Many of the religious organizations expressed concern over having gay adult leaders and were less concerned about gay youth members, the BSA said. The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Southern Baptist churches have all lobbied for a continuation of the ban.
In February Obama said he would like to see the ban lifted. "My attitude is ... that gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does, in every institution and walk of life," he said in an interview with CBS. Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout and the founder of Scouts for Equality, said: "This is a crucial step and Scouts for Equality will work to encourage members of the national council to vote to approve the resolution. But we will continue to fight to push discrimination out of scouting once and for all.
"For families like mine, the BSA's ban on gay leaders will continue to prevent many great and loving parents from sharing the joys of scouting with their children. But today, this is about the kids, and we are glad that the Boy Scouts of America is taking this historic step forward."
Wahls is one of several gay or pro-gay scout leaders to have collected hundreds of thousands of signatures calling for the ban to end, via the petition website change.org.
In February Obama said he would like to see the ban lifted. "My attitude is … that gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does, in every institution and walk of life," he said in an interview with CBS.