UUA President decries Half-measure proposed by BSA Board

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has proposed modifying its membership rules to the more inclusive position of not discriminating against youth membership on the basis of sexual orientation or preference. The language of the Boy Scouts of America proposed Membership Standards Resolution states: "No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone." The proposed resolution is a compromise between the existing full ban of youth and adults on the basis of their sexual orientation, and the position promoted by Scouts for Equality, GLAAD and others allowing membership of youth and adults irrespective of their sexual orientation or identity, as this story from ABC News explains. The Rev. Peter Morales, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association responded by saying, "The Boy Scouts of America has announced a proposal for revising its discriminatory membership policies. The proposed resolution would remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone, but would continue to perpetuate the discriminatory membership policy for all adult scout leaders. While long opposing the BSA's discriminatory policies, the UUA has consistently noted the many benefits that scouting offers to boys and young men, and we applaud the fact that these benefits will potentially be available to all boys and young men who want to participate in scouting. However, it is abhorrent to continue to discriminate against scout leaders." Read the full text of Rev. Morales' message here. Socially conservative groups are also against the proposed resolution, generally claiming it goes to far. (Read commentary by the Heritage Foundation or The National Review.) The issue will be voted upon my Boys Scouts of America members in May. Read the full text of the BSA Membership Standards Resolution here. Message from the Reverend Peter Morales, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association. From the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD): Faith Leaders Express Disappointment on Continued Ban on Gay Boy Scout Leaders, and BSA: Gay Maybe Okay - But Not if You're Over 18 Scouts for Equality activist website.