Boy Scouts set to confirm end of ban on gay adult leaders
The Boy Scouts of America is set to confirm it will end its ban on openly gay adult leaders.
Following a long discussion, in 2014 the BSA changed its policy to allow openly gay youth members, but maintained a ban on “open or avowed” gay adult staff or volunteers.
However, at a Scouts meeting in May, national president Robert Gates suggested the ban was “unsustainable”, and could lead to costly court cases.
The 17-member executive committee of BSA earlier this month backed a resolution that would end the organisaton’s blanket ban on gay leaders – and the National Executive Board is set to ratify the decision on Monday.
Gaining final approval from the National Executive Board is the final hurdle to resolving the issue which has dogged the Boy Scouts for years and led to bitter divisions within it.
Campaigners are hopeful ahead of the anticipated decision, with equality lawyer David Bois telling the New York Times: “It’s a great day for America and for scouting.”
However, some of the anti-gay Republican Presidential candidates have hit out at the decision – with Rick Perry claiming the BSA is “better off” not allowing openly gay scoutmasters.
The former Governor of Texas claimed: “I believe that scouting would be better off, if they didn’t have openly gay scoutmasters.”
Fellow 2016 presidential hopeful, Scott Walker who launched campaign this week, also voiced his support of the ban on gay troop leaders in the Boy Scouts of America.
