Over the past few years, the Boy Scouts of America organization has undergone a seismic change in terms of their treatment of the LGBT community. On Monday, that community scored another victory, as the organization announced that they will now accept Transgender children who identify as male in their scouting programs.
Major decision
The Boy Scouts of America previously only allowed the enrollment of boys in their programs based on the gender listed on the child's birth certificate. Now, parents can list the gender their child identifies with on applications and be accepted into programs on that basis.
This is a major coup for transgender children who were discriminated against by the organization due to the outgoing rule.
The decision follows an incident last year where a member of the Boy Scouts in Secaucus, New Jersey was asked to leave his troop after other members of the troop and their families found out the child was transgender. That question should no longer serve to persecute children who want to join one of the more popular organizations for young people in the United States.
Big changes continue
The decision made today is a massive one and not the only big one in recent history of the Boy Scouts of America. Just two years ago, the organization voted to lift the ban on gay leaders in the organization and within troops.
In general, the legislative nature is becoming more friendly to LGBT children and families.
Whether or not the change the Boy Scouts of America has made in their halls will bring significant change to the ground remains to be seen. One of the hallmarks of the organization are the camping trips that troops go on, which can serve as a great bonding ritual or an opportunity to potentially bully children who don't necessarily fit in with the customs undertaken by the rest of the kids.
Transgender children are still a marginalized group and fitting in within a structure that involves sleeping in close quarters and other activities involving bodies could prove to be something worth looking out for as acceptance of the LGBT community grows among the youth.
