|
Many Friends have expressed their concerns about Quaker involvement with Boy Scouts of America, given its policy preventing openly gay or lesbian persons from being members. These Friends feel that FCS should withdraw its support from BSA.
The following is provided to address these concerns and explain Friends Committee on Scouting's position .
Specifically, Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed. Scouting's moral position with respect to homosexual conduct accords with the moral positions of many millions of Americans and with religious denominations to which a majority of Americans belong. Because of these views concerning the morality of homosexual conduct, Boy Scouts of America believes that a known or avowed homosexual is not an appropriate role model of the Scout Oath and Law for adolescent boys.
Respecting the diversity of opinions among Friends on the issue of homosexuality, FCS neither endorses nor opposes BSA's position. No unity on the subject has yet been discerned. Regardless, FCS believes that any withdrawal by FCS from involvement with BSA would only serve to hurt Young Friends.
However, it should be noted that Friends General Conference representatives to FCS are also guided by a FGC Minute on Scouting, which can be read here: Central Committee Minutes, November 2000 but these persons, when acting as FCS spokespeople, should not make any public declaration either for or against BSA's policy given our lack of unity.
Members of Canadian Yearly Meeting and Britain Yearly Meeting are advised that Scouts Canada and The Scout Association (UK) have adopted policies that support the inclusion of gay and lesbian members.
Scouts Canada has adopted a Social Justice and Diversity Policy which reads:
In keeping with our fundamental principles - Duty to God, Duty to Others, Duty to Self - Scouts Canada is committed to social justice including the promotion of gender and member diversity at all levels of the organization, both in its structures and programs and to the elimination of discrimination on the groups of race, gender, ethnicity, financial ability, sexual orientation, religion, disability or age.
It is imperative that all programs and services reflect Scouts Canada's commitment to social justice.
Scouts Canada will make every effort to make its members and employee work force representative and reflective of the communities in which its services are provided.
The Scout Association (UK) has adopted the following policy:
There is no basis on which any volunteer offering his or her services in any capacity can be refused an appointment in, or Membership of, the Movement on the grounds of heterosexual or homosexual orientation. Homosexuality has been perceived as incompatible with Scouting by some people (both within and outside The Scout Association) on the basis of a presumed link between homosexuality and paedophilia. This perception has been used to deny homosexual people the chance to work with young people as Scout Leaders. There is no link between homosexuality and paedophilia, and therefore there is no justification for restricting Membership on this basis.
The organisation has prepared resource material to assist young gay and lesbian members of Scouting in coming out and material to assist adults and leaders in supporting young gay and lesbian members of Scouting.
|
|
