We awoke to great news The Boy Scouts Of America (BSA) have reversed course and have voted on a new policy that allows members of the LGBT community to be scout leaders. From far and wide leaders of social justice focused organizations have published statements in support of this profound change in BSA policy.
BUT WAIT--- HOLD ON --- WE HAVE BEEN DUPED
Upon close inspection the new policy does not require troops that are excluding LGBT leaders to change their policy. By creating an exception for troops sponsored by Catholic and Mormon churches the policy re affirms the right of troops to discriminate. With more than 60% of BSA troops based at these churches the new policy allows the continued wholesale discrimination that has long been a center of BSA policy.
Essentially all the new policy does is say, those who wish to continue to discriminate have license to do so. The only change is that troops not sponsored by these religious organizations no longer face sanctions if they have a gay leader in their organization.
Progress is not made by reaffirming the right of organizations to engage in homophobia. Progress is not made by continuing to disallow LGBT scout leaders to assume their rightful place in more than 60% of scout troops. Progress is not made by engaging in a PR effort about BSA's inclusive policy while sweeping under the rug the continuation of hateful policies by the majority of scouting organizations.
Those posting their support for this new policy are well meaning people who want to see progress. They simply don't see how this effort is a sham designed to lesson the political pressure on the BSA while effectively making no changes in the core policy of the organization.
Simply stated scout troops are free to continue things as they always have been. My sisters and brothers in the LGBT community deserve better. It is my belief that liberal social justice organizations should reject this false "change" and continue to press for full inclusion as BSA policy.
1 comment:
I'd call this "incremental progress", and perhaps say that it's "mostly" window dressing. But I think that it could slowly lead toward actual progress. It might move some troops away from churches when those groups realize that they could be more inclusive. Rights-minded troops might find that they will be less handicapped, and able to be more inclusive when they move away from sponsoring organizations that are institutionally bigoted.
This might also be an opportunity for groups like the MCC or even Pagan organizations to sponsor troops and start effecting real change now that the initial chink in the armor has appeared. This decision may not mean whole-hearted acceptance, but it may well be an opening - albeit an unexpected one by the BSA.
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