AP Photo/Richard RodriguezSorry li'l picketers who want to keep things "Morally Straight" (and the parents who made them those signs), but the Boy Scouts of America has announced an end to the ban on gay scouts. Sorta.
After months of debate, BSA announced today (as reported by Reuters) a change in policy that, "No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone."
The BSA Council still has to officially vote on May 20, but if it passes, gay kids will be able to openly join the Scouts in January of 2014. It's a big deal, seeing as the Boy Scouts of America fought for their right to exclude gays all the way to the Surpeme Court (The! Supreme! Court!) in 2000.
But therein lies the problem: The change in policy only applies to "youths," and not adult members.
When these gay youths become "adults" (18? Once they collect the merit badge for paying off their home mortgage?), they "must meet the requirements of our adult standards" to remain a Scout, i.e. stop being so gay.
GLAAD has responded, explaining, "Yet again, the Boy Scouts of America has failed its members, corporate sponsors, donors and the millions of Americans who agree that the time to end discrimination in Scouting is now."
Basically, it's be here and be queer until you're an adult and then we get to kick you out and you should thank us for allowing you to Scout it up at all. Which doesn't sound like very much fun to us.