Following End of Boy Scouts’ Ban on Gay Members, Partners and Supporters Return in Droves

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 10, 2015
Press Contact: Zach Wahls
E-mail: press@scoutsforequality.org

Following End of Boy Scouts’ Ban on Gay Members, Partners and Supporters Return in Droves

Unitarian Universalist Association and Union for Reform Judaism both signal a return to the Boy Scouts of America, citing work by Scouts for Equality

Hundreds of pro-equality supporters have pledged to return to the Boy Scouts of America through Scouts for Equality

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following July’s historic vote by the Boy Scouts of America to end its ban on gay adults, individuals and groups are already pledging to return to the Scouting organization. Two former BSA chartering organizations—the Union for Reform Judaism and the Unitarian Universalist Association—have announced their intention to move forward in re-establishing ties with the Boy Scouts, citing the work of Scouts for Equality. Both the URJ and the UUA had severed from the Boy Scouts of America because of the BSA’s ban on gay members. In addition, Scouts for Equality reported that more than 250 people had pledged online to return to the Boy Scouts.

“I’m incredibly excited about the response we’ve seen so far,” said Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout and the Executive Director of Scouts for Equality. “We are planning to work with our members and partners to charter 1,000 new Boy Scout units in the next twenty-four months. With both the UUA and URJ back, it’s clear we’re off to a great start.”

Scouts for Equality has been a leading voice in the campaign for an end to discrimination in the Boy Scouts of America. Following the end of the BSA’s blanket ban on gay adults, the organization rededicated itself to building a stronger, more inclusive BSA. Scouts for Equality is currently working to certify currently existing units that are inclusive, distribute a strong anti-bullying program, and to charter new, fully inclusive Scout units.

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