IRVING, Texas — The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced Jan. 30 it will accept transgender children who identify as boys into its historically boys-only programs, according to The Christian Post.
The new policy, effective immediately, states BSA will accept members based on the gender they list on their application — the one they identify with — rather than the one listed on their birth certificate.
“For more than 100 years the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-gender programs,” the organization said in a statement. “However, that approach is no longer sufficient as communities and state laws are interpreting gender identity differently and these laws vary widely from state to state.”
The change came after an 8-year-old transgender child named Joe was asked to leave a Cub Scouts pack in New Jersey.
The new policy brings BSA into equal standing on the issue with the Girl Scouts of America, which began accepting transgender members in May 2015, according to the Post. (TAB)
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