Scroll To Top
Youth

Pro-LGBT Petitioners to Converge on Boy Scout HQ Monday

Pro-LGBT Petitioners to Converge on Boy Scout HQ Monday

Bsa_petionersx400

They will deliver petitions with 1.4 million signatures urging the Boy Scouts of America to lift its gay ban.

trudestress

A group of LGBT advocates will visit the Boy Scouts of America's headquarters Monday with petitions bearing 1.4 million signatures urging the BSA to drop its ban on gay scouts and leaders.

Delivering the Change.org petitions to the headquarters in Irving, Texas (near Dallas), at 11 a.m. will be Jennifer Tyrrell, an Ohio mom who was ousted as den leader of her 7-year-old son's Cub Scout pack for being gay; Will Oliver, a gay Eagle Scout; Greg Bourke, who was removed as den leader of his son's Boy Scout troop because he's gay; and Eric Andresen, father of gay Boy Scout Ryan Andresen, who was denied his Eagle Award. All four will read short statements at the petition delivery and take questions from reporters.

"Jennifer Tyrrell, Will Oliver, Greg Bourke, and the Andresen family have proven that long-standing institutions of discrimination are no match for cutting-edge online tools and powerful storytelling," said Mark Anthony Dingbaum, senior campaign manager at Change.org, in a press release. Zach Wahls, founder of petition sponsor Scouts for Equality, predicted a "historic day for Scouting."

The BSA's national board is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a proposal to replace the gay ban with a policy that would allow local troop sponsors to decide whether to admit gay members.

To see or sign the Change.org petition, click here.

trudestress
30 Years of Out100Out / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff & Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

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.