Plowboy 10 Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 I've got questions out to my district, but does anyone know how gay and lesbian parents are officially viewed by BSA? I'll report back on what I hear from my district director. I've got a prospective Tiger Cub lives with mom and mom's same sex partner. He's super excited about Scouts. Is mom allowed to be his adult partner (Akela)? Can mom's partner bring him to an occasional meeting? I believe she cannot be a registered leader (den, committee, etc), but I've asked for confirmation on that as well. Awesome mom, awesome kid, and awesome partner. I'm betting this would be a life long Scout based on the boy and the parent. I'm sure our pack would welcome them in a heart beat. Link to post Share on other sites
perdidochas 658 Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 From my understanding, its no big deal. She can't be a registered leader, but other than that, she's more than welcome to go to meetings, etc. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagledad 2783 Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 >>Awesome mom, awesome kid, and awesome partner. I'm betting this would be a life long Scout based on the boy and the parent. I'm sure our pack would welcome them in a heart beat. Link to post Share on other sites
Plowboy 10 Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 My biggest question is about partner being his stand in Akela when mom can't be at the meeting. I'm assuming mom can be registered as Scout Parent when he's Webelo and she can go to camp with him. I certainly don't expect this to be an issue with the den/pack and we both assume she can't be a registered leader. Only downside for her is telling son that partner can't take him to scout events in her place. I'm hopeful that this isn't a problem. Link to post Share on other sites
shortridge 184 Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Why would the partner not be able to? No different than an uncle, grandparent or family friend filling in. Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 It is no big deal. Far as anyone knows the other mom is a family friend or babysiter. Remember the boys will take their cue off of you. Don't make it a big deal and it won't be. I would not get involved in any of the rumour mongering either. A polite "It really isn't my business and shouldn't be yours either" works just fine. Link to post Share on other sites
Beavah 205 Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Hiya plowboy. Is mom allowed to be his adult partner (Akela)? Yes. Can mom's partner bring him to an occasional meeting? Sure. Mom's partner can bring him even to an un-occasional meeting. I believe she cannot be a registered leader That is correct. Da BSA welcomes her son, and welcomes her and any of her family to be involved with her son in the scouting program. However, they aren't comfortable with her as a registered member or leader for other people's children. So every parent-acting-as-parent role is open for her and her partner, but any person-acting-as-leader role is not. For protracted debate on da merits of that, see the Issues & Politics threads. Beavah Link to post Share on other sites
BSA24 10 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Welcome to the stupidity of the membership policy. Mom cannot wear the uniform, nor can the other mom. But they can go on the campouts with everyone, and they can sleep in the same tent. They can hold hands on hikes. They can kiss each other in the parking lot. The boys will be exposed to the gayness around these two continually depending on their conduct, but BSA has no conduct rule. BSA only has a membership rule which supposedly exists for these reasons: * The Book of Leviticus * To prevent the youth from seeing gay people Absolutely hilarious. If you can't see the ridiculous way that the policy fails to even operate in the bigoted fashion for which it is intended, you're blind. Link to post Share on other sites
acco40 95 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I don't agree with the policy but I understand it. By withholding membership, the BSA is not condoning such behavior. Again, their issue (publicly) is that it is a role model issue - not safety, not membership, etc. Link to post Share on other sites
Plowboy 10 Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 Let's all keep this to the interpretation and understanding of the policies and not their merit. That discussion can go down hill fast. Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Bottom line is they are a parent and not subject to the any membership rules of the BSA. Link to post Share on other sites
ScoutNut 147 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 >>"My biggest question is about partner being his stand in Akela when mom can't be at the meeting." Link to post Share on other sites
SeattlePioneer 144 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 > After being through this discussion many times, I would have thought BSA24 would at least have understood the issue. But he doesn't have a clue, or deliberately misstates it. And opposition to homosexuality comes from natural law, a branch of philosophy based upon reason, not faith. Because it is logical and reasonable, most religious faiths have reached the same conclusions as has the natural law approach. Natural law was adapted and adopted by Christianity most clearly in the writings of Thomas Aquinas, a man well acquainted with the vices of the late Roman Empire. Link to post Share on other sites
WasE61 23 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 "Natural law was adapted and adopted by Christianity most clearly in the writings of Thomas Aquinas, a man well acquainted with the vices of the late Roman Empire." The Catholic Church did not formally embrace Aquina's writings as theological doctrine for some 600 years AFTER his death. I submit, that this adoption is more of a populist acceptance by the Church due to social-political pressures, rather than some divine revelation. Link to post Share on other sites
Horizon 97 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I thought I would spin off a new topic on Natural Law - it is separate enough, then we won't hijack this one any further: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=365036 Link to post Share on other sites
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