ACR147

A Concurrent Resolution urging the Boy Scouts of America to take steps to better include and support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual community.

Whereas, The Boy Scouts of America was first incorporated in 1910 as a youth program designed to build character, provide training in responsible citizenship, develop leadership and teamwork skills, and promote personal fitness through programs integrating educational activities and hands-on experience; and

Whereas, The Boy Scouts of America has grown from approximately 2,000 scouts and leaders at the time of its founding to over 2.3 million scouts and approximately 960,000 volunteers in more than 100,000 scout units, which are sponsored through civic, faith-based, and educational organizations; and

Whereas, The Boy Scouts of America has expanded beyond its original program for older boys to include the Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts programs for younger children and the Sea Scouts and Venture Scouts programs for young men and women who are 14 to 21 years of age; and

Whereas, Scouts participate in and advance through the program by earning merit badges in a variety of subjects encompassing good citizenship, culture, crafts, music and the arts, outdoorsmanship, wildlife studies, sports, science, trades, business, career planning, emergency preparedness, scholarship, and technology; and

Whereas, A core mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to instill in young people an understanding of, and enthusiasm for, civic duty, personal responsibility, personal growth, community, and conservation and sustainability in the natural world; and

Whereas, In 2013, the Boy Scouts of America ended a 35-year long ban on gay youth becoming scouts, and in 2015, also ended the official ban on gay men serving as scout leaders, signaling a message of inclusiveness and a recognition that the values and benefits of scouting transcend matters of sexual orientation or sexual identity; and

Whereas, Notwithstanding these positive steps, in November 2016, an eight-year-old transgender boy, Joe Maldonado, who was an enthusiastic participant in camping and science activities with his Secaucus Cub Scout troop, was told he would no longer be allowed to participate in the Cub Scouts because he was born female; and

Whereas, This decision sent a message to Joe and other transgender youth that they are not valued within the community, and that they may be denied access to organizations they respect and admire solely on the basis of sexual identity or sexual orientation; and

Whereas, Young people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) community have as much to gain from scouting, and as much to contribute to the scouting community, as any other young person; and

Whereas, It is the sentiment of the Legislature that the Boy Scouts of America, as well as other youth civic organizations, should embrace the LGBTQIA community and take steps to include and support LGBTQIA youth who wish to participate in, and contribute to, scouting programs; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The Boy Scouts of America is respectfully urged to take steps to embrace the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) community, and to include and support LGBTQIA youth who wish to participate in, and contribute to, scouting programs.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the national president, chief scout executive, and national commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America.

STATEMENT

This resolution respectfully urges the Boy Scouts of America to take steps to embrace the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) community, and to include and support LGBTQIA youth who wish to participate in, and contribute to, scouting programs.

In November 2016, an eight-year-old transgender boy, Joe Maldonado, who was an enthusiastic participant in camping and science activities with his Secaucus Cub Scout troop, was told he would no longer be allowed to participate in the Cub Scouts because he was born female. This type of rejection sends a false and negative message to LGBTQIA youth, suggesting that, solely on the basis of their sexual identity or sexual orientation, they have less to contribute or may be denied access to activities that are open to other young people. It is essential that a message of inclusiveness and support be sent to young members of the LGBTQIA community, recognizing their basic human worth and their value to their communities as a whole.