Obama And Boy Scouts Play Nice Over The Anti-Gay Policy, Mothers Not So Much

boy scoutsThe Boy Scouts may want absolutely nothing to do with your gay son, but President Obama doesn’t want much to do with their policy. The president’s spokesperson confirmed that the father of two doesn’t support discrimination in any form, but he isn’t about to resign as honorary president of the Boy Scouts either. Nor is Boy Scouts jumping on the opportunity to eviscerate POTUS with snippy press releases about Christian values. Far from it. Everyone is actually just being super civil about everything.

Washington Blade reached out to the President to confirm where he stood in response to Boy Scouts affirming their anti-gay membership policy. The White House sent the following statement:

”The President believes the Boy Scouts is a valuable organization that has helped educate and build character in American boys for more than a century,” White House spokesperson Shin Inouye said in the statement. ”He also opposes discrimination in all forms, and as such opposes this policy that discriminates on basis of sexual orientation.”

A Boy Scouts spokesperson named Deron Smith responded that they’re not bothered by the President’s personal feelings on the matter:

”The Boy Scouts of America respects the opinions of President Obama and appreciates his recognition that Scouting is a valuable organization,” Smith said. ”We believe that good people can personally disagree on this topic and still work together to accomplish the common good.”

And Mitt Romney is on this Kumbaya circle too, sticking to his 1994 position (that’s a first!):

”I support the right of the Boy Scouts of America to decide what it wants to do on that issue. I feel that all people should be able to participate in the Boy Scouts regardless of their sexual orientation.”

Politicians clearly have their own convoluted lines to toe, but mothers, not so much.

One reader named Courtney told Mommyish that she would not at all be comfortable with her young son joining Boy Scouts in the wake of this renewed anti-gay stance. While she agrees that the organization is private, she finds the message ultimately very damaging to the LGBTQ community and to children.

“I think it tells families that as long as they fall in line with what the BSA finds worthy, they are welcome,” she said. “It gives the impression that there is something wrong with gay families and gay people.”

Shannon, a mother of two, also wouldn’t like the idea of her little boy one day becoming “a member of a openly prejudice organization.” Additionally, she finds the policy to be entirely naive.

“They have got to be completely delusional to think they have not previously helped ‘nurture and guide’ — their words not mine –young gay men,” she tells Mommyish. “And to the young boys that are currently members and gay, it just feels like bullying. In certain communities, I bet young boys’ whole social circle could be wrapped up in the Scouts and to exclude them is so hurtful. It’s basically giving their peers a reason to treat them differently.”

Leave to mothers to keep it candid.

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(photo: spirit of america/ Shutterstock)

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