Boy Scouts of America is now allowing transgender boys to join, after showing much resistance to the idea.
NPR news reported that BSA, Boy Scouts of America, changed its policy regarding how to determine gender identity. Previously, they used individuals’ birth certificates to determine gender. However, BSA will now use gender specification on applications as its primary determinant.
Many say that BSA officials made this controversial decision because of heat resulting from the expulsion of a transgender boy from Cub Scouts. According to NorthJersey.com, Joe Maldonado, an 8-year-old from New Jersey, and his mother were surprised to hear from a BSA official that Maldonado could no longer be a Cub Scout based on the discovery that Joe was born a girl.
It was never a secret that Joe was born a girl. However, complaints ensued as Cub Scout parents discovered this fact. Joe was not excluded by fellow Cub Scouts, but by parents and officials.
Now, possibly as a result of Maldonado’s expulsion, BSA has made a change. BSA said that the change happened only recently because Gender Dysphoria is relatively new to the nation.
According to CNN, Girl Scouts made the same decision, to allow transgender children to participate, in 2011. Regardless of the reason, Boy Scouts of America will be welcoming transgender boys into its troops.
Jasmine Demir
jkdemir@vwc.edu
