A decade after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Boy Scouts of America had the right to exclude homosexual people from membership, the organization is now reconsidering their anti-gay policy.
“The policy change under discussion would allow the religious, civic or educational organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting to determine how to address this issue,” spokesman Deron Smith said in an email to Reuters.
“An end to this ban will restore dignity to countless families across the country, my own included, who simply wanted to take part in all Scouting has to offer,” Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian mother from Ohio who was ousted as a Scout den leader and treasurer said in a statement.
The governing body for Boy Scouts of America is considering lifting the ban on the national level and leaving each individual membership to the discretion of the respective troops.
“This would mean there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation, and the chartered organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting would accept membership and selected leaders consistent with each organization’s mission, principles, or religious beliefs,” Boy Scouts public relations director Deron Smith said in a written statement. “BSA members and parents would be able to choose a local unit that best meets the needs of their families.”
This shift comes after considerable longstanding pressure, including a petition on Change.org demanding Boy Scouts overturn the policy that has gained more than a million signatures.
