Community Corner

Boy Scouts of America Vote to Allow Openly Gay Scouts

The issue became a local touchstone last year when Ryan Andresen of Moraga was denied his Eagle Scout badge because he is openly gay.

By Jim Caroompas

After a contentious debate and months of discussion, the Boy Scouts of America voted today (Thursday) to permit openly gay boys to be members of the organization. However, openly gay adults are still barred from being scout leaders.

According to Channel 7 news, more than 60 percent of the Boy Scouts of America National Council voted for the change. 

Conservative groups lobbied hard to keep the rules prohibiting gay youth in place. Some churches threatened to end their relationship with the scouts if the vote to permit gays in the scouts was passed. Other groups have vowed to continue pushing to allow gay adults to serve as scout leaders.

The issue became a local touchstone last year when Ryan Andresen of Moraga was denied his Eagle Scout Badge because he was openly gay. Andresen's plight caught the nation's eye, and he appeared on national television, while thousands of people supported his efforts to be awarded the Eagle Badge. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here