Since the organization still won't accept openly gay adult volunteers,
Disney won't give money. Scouting officials say they're
'disappointed.'
BY Trudy RingMarch 03 2014 2:54 PM ET
Officials with the Boy Scouts of America say they are disappointed in
the Walt Disney Co.'s decision to pull funding from the Scouts
because, while the organization now admits openly gay young people, it
bars out gay adults from serving as volunteers.
"We believe every child deserves the opportunity to be a part of the
Scouting experience and we are disappointed in this decision because
it will impact our ability to serve kids," BSA spokesman Deron Smith
said in a statement issued to the Associated Press Sunday.
Disney does not fund the national organization, but it gives some
money to local scouting groups in exchange for volunteer hours worked
by Disney employees, according to the AP.
The company's decision became public after the leader of a Florida Boy
Scout council let members know Disney was discontinuing its support.
"According to [Walt Disney World], their views do not currently align
with the BSA," wrote Central Florida Council board president Robert
Utsey. "We will continue to keep an open line of communication with
them, but at this time, are unable to reverse their decision." Scouts
for Equality, a group working for full LGBT inclusion in the Boy
Scouts, posted his email on its website.
Scouts for Equality cofounder Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout who is the
straight son of lesbian mothers, praised Disney' move. "We're never
happy to see Scouting suffer as a result of the BSA's anti-gay policy,
but Disney made the right decision to withhold support until Scouting
is fully inclusive," Wahls said on the website.
Disney officials did not respond to the AP's requests for comment.
More:
http://www.advocate.com/youth/
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