Half-empty . . . or half-full?

The Boy Scouts of America has voted to change a long-standing policy of barring gay boys from participating as members.   Needless to say, it has also barred gay scout leaders.

The outcome of the vote was that, by a vote of 61-38, the National Council will now allow gay boys to be Scouts -- up until age 18.  At that point, because they cannot become adult leaders, they will have to leave the BSA.

Some predict that this will lead to further decline of the organization.  Some say they should have gone all the way and removed any restrictions on sexual orientation.

I agree with that as the goal.  But I differ in tactics, as I have often in the past on issues of changing discrimination policies against GLBT individuals and groups.

Progress that has been made has been the result of compromise, of small gains leading to bigger gains, and of steady movement in one direction.   My guiding priniciple in such matters has been:   "When someone is moving in the right direction, stop kicking them."

I'd say let's praise the BSA for this courageous move, against much opposition from within its ranks.   The rest is a matter of education and further cultural change so that parents will come to trust their young boys to gay counselors for overnight trips and as role models.

This is not a defeat but an important step toward the inevitable ideal of equality.   Let's give the National Council of the BSA some credit for not trying to push its membership organization so fast that it loses the opportunity to change into a vital, welcoming organization not only for all boys but for all qualified men as counselors as well.

You and I -- the "you' being my assumption of who my readers are -- know that being gay does not make you a pedophile, that gay men can be just as committed to the protection of young boys as straight men, and that a homophobic scout master is not such a good role model after all.   But "they" don't necessarily know that.   They may think the opposite and only want to protect their own sons.   Give them a little time to learn.  Let's encourage the BSA to continue to consider the issue of some day accepting gay leaders.  

The ongoing educational progress will come largely from these now openly gay scouts themselves.   As they become valued and respected Eagle Scouts, it will become obvious how ludicrous it would then be to kick them out and say they are no longer welcome.   But give the BSA members some time to absorb this change.

One important point to ask them to consider is:  What is the message to the gay boys that you now accept when you say they will not be fit to be leaders themselves some day?  And that will be even more effective when it's about specific outstanding individuals, rather than an abstract possibility.

Ralph