Reports in the press suggest that the Scouts are encouraging gay members. Yes, really – the Scouts!
According to spokesman Simon Carter, “we are keen to make it clear that we accept people of any particular orientation.” And they seem to be serious about it – members and leaders have marched in Pride parades, the chief commissioner has filmed an anti-bullying video for Stonewall, and the Scouts’ web site has a whole section for LGBT issues. So if you’re a boy who really does enjoy Scouting for Boys, you will have no problem here.
At first glance, it seems odd that an organisation with a Christian heritage (atheists are still officially banned) are embracing such a policy, but it’s nice to see hard evidence that “religion” does not have to equal “hates the gays”. Sadly, Scout movements elsewhere are less enlightened – the Boy Scouts of America organisation bans “Known or avowed homosexuals”.
Meanwhile, I am really resisting the urge to do an unsavoury woggle reference.