Good point on the angle of double standards.
I'll be interested to watch it,, if & when a boy tries to join the GS, gets refused, & sues using the phrase; "gender discrimination."
I pulled down my first 3 BSA Handbooks. I re-visited the Scout Oath, and it's meaning.
In these manuals,, it stresses the point that by following the Oath,, you will serve God and be a good MAN for the community. The first two manuals,, were identical copies of each other in this area.
The 3rd one,, first printed in 1973,, has this to say about "morally straight."
" You live & act and speak in ways that mark you as a boy who will grow up to be a man of good character. You are honest, clean in speech & actions, thoughtful of the rights of others, and faithful to your religious beliefs."
My 4th handbook, printed in 1983, says this;
"You owe it to yourself to aim to become a man of strong character. Be thoughtful of the rights of others. Be clean in speech & actions. Be faithful in your religious beliefs. Your life as a Scout will take you along the trail that leads to strong, self-reliant manhood."
My 5th manual,, which came out in 1990,, has removed the comments about manhood. It also did a re-write of the definition of "morally straight." It's similar to the 2 above,, but as noted,, the removal of using "man" or manhood" in describing a boy becoming an adult.
This edition was printed after the lawsuit, and SCOTUS ruling.
And in all the parts about religion, it never specifies any religion, but it says to be true to yours. And according to most Bibles,, homosexual behavior wasn't acceptable.
So, the BSA organization in it's first approximate 75 years was a male dominated organization, that followed mostly Christian beliefs in this Country.
And as adults,, in charge of kids,, (of which I spent over 40 years at doing,) we always worked hard to make sure it was a SAFE environment for the boys,, to be boys, and learn how to grow into good men.
And yet,, in all my years as a Scout, then as a leader, we'd occasionally hear about an adult who abused their position, and preyed upon some boys. Not many,, but it did occasionally happen. And from all I remember,, each one was severely prosecuted.
Boys need to be boys,, and need to be able to experience the activities w/o the girls around. Our schools are co-ed,, and this was a way for them to "just be boys" w/o girls & associated issues with that distracting them.
No longer.
As I was typing this,, redhawker posted about the BSA forcing the acceptance of girls.
A little history here. It was voted upon by a rep from each Council that represents each BSA District. My local Council, The NC Daniel Boone Council, represents 17 WNC Counties. The vote was done at a National meeting. Those Reps, are the ones who voted to allow gays & later girls.
And it was under pressure in many places by big money.
I was told that directly, by more than one District Rep.
