HRC Urges Boy Scouts of America to Take Full Step to LGBT Equality

Boy Scouts’ move to allow gay adults to participate in organisation marks a moment, but falls short of goal of full inclusion.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organisation, today acknowledged the movement of the Boy Scouts of America and its president, Robert Gates, toward broader inclusion, but reiterated its call to make full LGBT equality a national policy.

“We welcome as a step in the right direction President Gates’ announcement that the organisation will not revoke the charters of chapters that welcome gay scout leaders and employees,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.  “But, as we have said many times previously, half measures are unacceptable, especially at one of America’s most storied institutions.”

“It’s time for BSA leaders to show true leadership and embrace a full national policy of inclusion that does not discriminate against anyone because of who they are,” Griffin said.

HRC finds it heartening that Gates in his speech today characterised the discriminatory position is “unsustainable,” and we look for a day very soon that the the policy is also an artefact of history.

Earlier this year, when the Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America hired an openly gay man to serve as a summer Scout camp leader,  HRC called on the organisation and President Gates to move quickly to end the  outdated policy of excluding LGBT adults from serving as volunteers and employees.