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Ten Camp Staffers Quit in Sympathy With Fired Gay Scout

Ten Camp Staffers Quit in Sympathy With Fired Gay Scout

Tim-griffin-camp-winton-x400

Fellow employees objected to the dismissal of gay Eagle Scout Tim Griffin from a California camp.

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Ten employees at a Boy Scout camp in Northern California have quit in outrage over the firing of a gay staffer.

Tim Griffin, 22, an Eagle Scout and seasonal staff member at Camp Winton in Amador County, was let go Friday, and 10 of the camp's 30 employees resigned in support, The Sacramento Bee reports.

Officials with the Golden Empire Council of the Boy Scouts of America say Griffin was fired not because he is gay, but because violated dress codes by wearing nail polish and an earring, for which he received repeated warnings. His supporters, however, say Griffin's homosexuality was clearly the reason for his dismissal.

"It was absolutely about his sexual orientation, no question about it," said Graham Littlejohn, one of the staffers who quit.

Griffin was the longest-serving employee at the camp, having worked there every summer since 2004. He told the Bee he believes the national BSA's recent decision to reaffirm its policy barring gay scouts and leaders definitely played a role in his firing. He said he is weighing his options for legal action.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.