Check this, we crossed yet another barrier!

The Boy Scouts of America will allow openly gay scouts for the first time as of Jan. 1, with the century-old group facing conservative dissent from within for making the change and criticism from rights groups for not going far enough..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/01/boy-scouts-gay-youth-scouts_n_4525614.html

I see they're catching up with us again...

http://scouts.org.uk/news/2012/07/sexual-orientation-should-not-be-a-bar-to-membership/

Edited to insert linky.

Edited January 2, 201412 yr by sustento

I see they're catching up with us again...

http://scouts.org.uk/news/2012/07/sexual-orientation-should-not-be-a-bar-to-membership/

Edited to insert linky.

Nice!

UK seems to be way ahead of America in this area..

From Scouts UK:

" In the UK we have a very clear policy and practice that welcomes adults and young people (boys and girls) irrespective of their sexual orientation.

We are proud that we have had this approach in place for many years. We believe that this reflects the needs and wants of the communities in which we operate, and reflects our affirmed view that sexual orientation should not be a bar to membership.

We believe that discriminating against an individual simply on the grounds of his or her sexuality is inappropriate, and is contrary to our interpretation of the inclusivity and values of Scouting."

So nicely, and beatifully put.. love the line "discriminating an individual simply on the grounds of his or her secuality"

Statement like this proves common sense and logic prevails sometimes.

Edited January 2, 201412 yr by valgehiir

It's the same with the Salvation Army. There seems to be quite a difference between the stance the SA takes in the USA and in the UK

http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/Non-Discrimination

The U.S. is not in a "contest" with the U.K. Perhaps U.K. people still have a complex about some imagined competition going back to King George. Perhaps because the U.S. overtook the U.K. in overall importance ages ago. U.S. people don't even notice this current imagined contest. Different paths, different timelines, different countries, no contest.

Edited January 3, 201412 yr by Jingthing

Didn't I already read this about the US Boy Scouts a couple of months ago?

Didn't I already read this about the US Boy Scouts a couple of months ago?

I'm sure. It just now went into EFFECT. Happy New Year.

Didn't I already read this about the US Boy Scouts a couple of months ago?

I'm sure. It just now went into EFFECT. Happy New Year.

I see, thanks. I thought I was finally going crazy. Happy New Year to you too.

But the thing about the LEADERS still not being allowed is predictably starting to BITE:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/us/boy-scout-troop-loses-charter-over-gay-leader.html

Boy Scout Troop Loses Charter Over Gay Leader

SEATTLE — The Boy Scouts of America, which voted last year to allow gay scouts but not openly gay scout leaders, has revoked the charter of a church-sponsored troop here for refusing to fire its adult gay scoutmaster.

The decision, which one gay rights organization said was a first since the policy change last year, essentially bars the Rainier Beach United Methodist Church and its 15 scouts from using logos, uniforms or names associated with the Boy Scouts as long as the scoutmaster and Eagle Scout Geoffrey McGrath, 49, remains in charge.

Edited April 22, 201412 yr by Jingthing

But the thing about the LEADERS still not being allowed is predictably starting to BITE:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/us/boy-scout-troop-loses-charter-over-gay-leader.html

Boy Scout Troop Loses Charter Over Gay Leader

SEATTLE — The Boy Scouts of America, which voted last year to allow gay scouts but not openly gay scout leaders, has revoked the charter of a church-sponsored troop here for refusing to fire its adult gay scoutmaster.

The decision, which one gay rights organization said was a first since the policy change last year, essentially bars the Rainier Beach United Methodist Church and its 15 scouts from using logos, uniforms or names associated with the Boy Scouts as long as the scoutmaster and Eagle Scout Geoffrey McGrath, 49, remains in charge.

I am not sure I'm understanding this correctly. Maybe my English is not up to the level.

1.) We all know that the Christian church, in many countries and especially in the US, says that homosexuality is an abomination, which is short for "you are a bad person even though our god made you gay". This article says this particular church in Seattle supports a gay boyscout leader to the extent that they accept being cut off from the BSA.

2.) The BSA just allowed gay boyscouts this year, showing a change towards acceptance and a leap into the 21st century, but they cut this unit off because they employ a gay leader.

Is something upside down here, or is it just me?

The rule against leaders is messed up. Telling boys we love you until age 18 and then magically when you get older you are unacceptable human being. It won't stand ... but it will take more time to change such an evil rule.

The rule against leaders is messed up. Telling boys we love you until age 18 and then magically when you get older you are unacceptable human being. It won't stand ... but it will take more time to change such an evil rule.

But the local church supports the gay leader?

The rule against leaders is messed up. Telling boys we love you until age 18 and then magically when you get older you are unacceptable human being. It won't stand ... but it will take more time to change such an evil rule.

But the local church supports the gay leader?

There are thousands of Christian sects in the USA. Some of them are very pro-gay.

But the thing about the LEADERS still not being allowed is predictably starting to BITE:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/us/boy-scout-troop-loses-charter-over-gay-leader.html

Boy Scout Troop Loses Charter Over Gay Leader

SEATTLE — The Boy Scouts of America, which voted last year to allow gay scouts but not openly gay scout leaders, has revoked the charter of a church-sponsored troop here for refusing to fire its adult gay scoutmaster.

The decision, which one gay rights organization said was a first since the policy change last year, essentially bars the Rainier Beach United Methodist Church and its 15 scouts from using logos, uniforms or names associated with the Boy Scouts as long as the scoutmaster and Eagle Scout Geoffrey McGrath, 49, remains in charge.

I am not sure I'm understanding this correctly. Maybe my English is not up to the level.

1.) We all know that the Christian church, in many countries and especially in the US, says that homosexuality is an abomination, which is short for "you are a bad person even though our god made you gay". This article says this particular church in Seattle supports a gay boyscout leader to the extent that they accept being cut off from the BSA.

2.) The BSA just allowed gay boyscouts this year, showing a change towards acceptance and a leap into the 21st century, but they cut this unit off because they employ a gay leader.

Is something upside down here, or is it just me?

The BSA now allow gay boy scouts but not gay scout leaders thus they won't let the Rainier Beach scout troop be part of the BSA as long as they have a gay leader.

The rule against leaders is messed up. Telling boys we love you until age 18 and then magically when you get older you are unacceptable human being. It won't stand ... but it will take more time to change such an evil rule.

But the local church supports the gay leader?

There are thousands of Christian sects in the USA. Some of them are very pro-gay.

This is under-reported. I only know about the MCC.

But even some Christian friends told me that the Bible is really anti-gay.

Pro gay might be overblown, but many U.S. Christian churches are definitely welcoming and tolerant of gay members, and don't preach fire and brimstone crapola. FUNDAMENTALISTS (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.) would definitely be anti-gay but not all sects are fundamentalist.

Edited April 26, 201412 yr by Jingthing

Pro gay might be overblown, but many U.S. Christian churches are definitely welcoming and tolerant of gay members, and don't preach fire and brimstone crapola. FUNDAMENTALISTS (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.) would definitely be anti-gay but not all sects are fundamentalist.

Well noted.

Another case. Not sure how long the BSA can keep this up. Maybe start a betting pool?

WATCH: Boy Scout Outed as Gay, Denied Job

Garrett Bryant says he was turned down for a summer job at a scout camp because of friends' Facebook comments indicating he was in a same-sex relationship.

http://www.advocate.com/boy-scouts-america/2014/04/30/watch-boy-scout-outed-gay-denied-job

Edited May 1, 201412 yr by Jingthing

Current news on this front:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/boy-scouts-leader-ban-gay-adults-sustainable-31208269

The national president of the Boy Scouts, Robert Gates, says the organization's longstanding ban on participation by openly gay adults is no longer sustainable and is urging change in order to avert potentially destructive legal battles.

Current news on this front:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/boy-scouts-leader-ban-gay-adults-sustainable-31208269

The national president of the Boy Scouts, Robert Gates, says the organization's longstanding ban on participation by openly gay adults is no longer sustainable and is urging change in order to avert potentially destructive legal battles.

The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice

Not always.

See Russia.