Former Eagle Scout James Dale says
sharing our stories can make a difference in changing the Boy Scouts
of America's (BSA) policy banning gays.
Dale joined the Scouting program at the
age of 8 and earned an Eagle Scout Award in the fall of 1988. In
1990, while a student at Rutgers University, Dale became the
co-president of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Alliance. After he was
quoted as stating that he was gay in an interview with the Newark
Star Ledger, scouting officials
promptly expelled him from his position as assistant
Scoutmaster for violating the policy.
Dale sued the organization (Boy
Scouts of America v. Dale). But in 2000, the Supreme Court
narrowly sided with the Boy Scouts of America, overturning a lower
court's decision.
On Thursday, the BSA will consider
whether to lift its ban on the participation of openly gay youth
during a 2-day meeting in Dallas, Texas. The Boy Scouts plan to
continue their ban on gay adults.
In a 2-minute video, Dale urges others
to share their stories.
“I think that change only happens
when you kind of share your story and share your voice and let that
be heard,” Dale says in the video. “Not to sort of sit and
accept any type of discrimination. Sort of make change for the
positive.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)