Rather Hetero on the Campgrounds

Bob, 15, is an openly gay boy scout who is supposed to sleep in the same tent as a heterosexual boy. Is this acceptable, somewhat acceptable or totally unacceptable?

More than 1.1 million members of the Boy Scouts of America had to answer these and other questions in a recent survey — a novelty in the history of the BSA, with members never asking about sexual orientation, because there was nothing to question. A boy scout is the model of virtuousness, with the triangular scarf accurately tied around the neck and the uniform with ironed creases signifying heterosexuality. Being openly gay or lesbian would add an unacceptable crease to the uniform.

Nonetheless, this traditional American organization with its 2.7 million youth and more than 1 million adult members finds itself embroiled in a public debate over whether its reactionary view of society is still relevant. In July 2012, after a two-year evaluation process, its leaders concluded again that it was correct to insist on the exclusion of gay and lesbian members. To learn for life might be one of the BSA’s mottos, but its members are certainly not learning from life.

Jennifer Tyrrell, mother of Cruz, who is a Boy Scout, is a victim of this decision. She is openly gay and was forced to end her voluntary commitment to her son’s group in Ohio. Nothing less than the virtuousness of the youths seems to be at stake, with the BSA describing itself the following way: “For over a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country.”

“The revocation of my membership came shortly after I was elected treasurer of my pack and uncovered some inconsistencies in the pack’s finances. Within a week of reporting these findings to the council, I received notice that my membership had been revoked, based on my sexual orientation, citing that, because I’m gay, I did ‘not meet the high standards of membership that the BSA seeks,’” said Tyrrell.

The High Standards

Membership fees, as well as donations and sponsors, including churches, finance the BSA. Values ​​education hovers over everything: the camps, the popcorn sales for a good cause and the sense of community. These are conservative values, which did not allow a place for people like Jennifer Tyrrell until now.

Tyrrell started a petition to end discrimination within the Boy Scouts. “342,000 people have signed the petition, and I will pursue this petition until the discrimination stops,” she said.* The advocacy organization Scouts for Equality advocates for a new open-mindedness within the BSA and discourages against preventing fathers and mothers from volunteering just because they might have different life philosophies. Following the organization’s decision to abide by its discrimination policy several companies, including The Merck Foundation, UPS, Intel, United Way and most recently the fast food chain Chipotle, stopped their financial support.

Finally, in January, the controversy gained new attention when internal discussions about giving up on banning homosexual members unintentionally became public, according to the New York Times. The BSA currently refuses any interviews, and a spokesperson merely points to the recent survey and the organization’s home page, which documents the debate.

A potential change in values is hard to convey to conservative BSA supporters.

“Homosexuality is, by definition, about sexual attraction and conduct, things about which most Scout parents have serious moral concerns,” writes Rob Schwarzwalder of the conservative Family Research Council, a BSA supporter. According to the New York Times, many churches have also announced that they will end their support if the ban is dropped. According to a December 2012 Gallup survey, 52 percent of those interviewed were opposed to homosexuals serving in BSA leadership positions.

In opposition stand lost sponsors such as Madonna, who made an appearance wearing a similar uniform to that of the scouts at a gay and lesbian event last weekend, as well as Barack Obama, who publicly asked the BSA to end discrimination toward homosexuals. The BSA will rule on this issue at the annual national meeting of the Scouts in May at the earliest. Because of the complexity of the matter, the BSA needs more time to evaluate its membership policy, says the BSA website.

* Translator’s note: Although correctly translated, this quote could not be verified.