A 2012 rally at Boy Scout headquarters in Irving
Irving-based Boy Scouts of America has changed its policy to now allow transgender boys into Scouting.
Until a few years ago, the Boy Scouts banned gay Scouts and gay Scout leaders, even if the gay Scout leader had a son in the troop.
It took a change of leadership to change those discriminatory policies.
When the presidency of the Boy Scouts passed from homophobic Exxon CEO and Secretary of State designate Rex Tillerson to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, the Boy Scouts began to open their programs to all boys and their families.
The Girl Scouts have always welcomed lesbian Scouts and made its policy of inclusion of trans girls clear in 2011. It’s not clear they ever discriminated against trans girls, though.
Resource Center, which has previously rallied demonstrators to protest BSA policies outside the Irving headquarters, issued this statement about opening scouting to trans boys:
[The] announcement that the Irving-based Boy Scouts of America will allow transgender, male-identified youth to participate in Scouting is a welcome development. It will allow these youth to experience the benefits and activities associated with Scouting in an atmosphere that affirms their gender identity. It is also worth commending the evolution of the Boy Scouts on LGBTQ issues in recent years. Less than five years ago, Scouts and Scout leaders were not allowed to participate based on their sexual orientation. The Boy Scouts are now truly exemplifying the Scouting value of respect for others.
