Visit http://www.glaad.org/scouts for our live, up-to-the minute coverage of the Boy Scout vote in Dallas, Texas.
GLAAD is on the ground at the vote as part of a yearlong campaign to push for a national non-discrimination policy to end the ban on gay teens and adults. GLAAD is holding a press conference today with Scouts for Equality, Inclusive Scouting Network and several Scouting families who launched Change.org petitions.
GLAAD has worked to ensure a long list of corporate partners, elected officials, religions and faith leaders, as well as celebrities have spoken out against the ban on gay Scouts and leaders. Yesterday, Dr. Phil lent his support to our efforts.
We are encouraging people to stand up for inclusive scouting on Facebook and Twitter, sign the petition telling the BSA Council to vote to end the ban and pledge your support. Learn how you can help end the ban on gay scouts and leaders at glaad.org/scouts.
GLAAD first started calls for the Boy Scouts of America to end its ban on gay scouts and scout leaders in April 2012 after Jennifer Tyrrell, a mom and den leader from Ohio was removed from her 7-year-old’s Cub Scout Pack for being gay. Tyrrell’s orginal Change.org petition has attracted more than 343,000 signatures in support of ending the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay Scouts and leaders. Tyrrell, together with GLAAD, has launched a new petition to urge the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to completely lift its anti-gay ban on both youth members and adult employees and volunteers. To take action on this issue please visit www.glaad.org/denmother. For more on GLAAD's work on this campaign, including a timeline of key events, visit www.glaad.org/scouts.