For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for their single-gender programs. Boys Scouts will make changes to their century-old qualification process that looked into an applicant’s biological gender for admission. Admission into Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts will now be based on the gender as mentioned on the application instead.
On their website, they stated that the Boy Scouts of America continues to work to bring the benefits of their programs to as many children, families and communities as possible. ”Starting today (January 30), we will accept and register youth in the Cub and Boy Scout programs based on the gender identity indicated on the application. Our organization’s local councils will help find units that can provide for the best interest of the child,” the announcement states. The current change in policy came after a Scout was thrown out last year after it was discovered he was born a girl and his mother filed a discrimination case against the Boys Scouts.
However, the organization still denies membership to atheists and agnostics, based on its principle, “Duty to God.” The only possible way to join the Boy Scouts of America without a God requirement is through a local Unitarian Church (a religious group which follows Free Christianity, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism or any movement with “Unitarian” in its name). It is the stand of BSA that none of its members would be able to grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God.
The Boys Scouts has been making significant progress in inclusivity. In 2013, they allowed openly gay boys to join the Scouts. Now, in 2017, transgender boys are also accepted. What about the growing number of non-theistic boys in the country? Why are they discriminated against? Of course, Boys Scouts is a private organization and they can set their own rules. But, the fact is that they have support from a president and they recruit kids at public schools, and because of that there shouldn’t be any religious discrimination happening whatsoever. The continued ban on atheists in a climate where atheism is growing can be a major setback for the organization.
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