Guest Essay: Scouting punted on its DEI badge. I’m hurt, but not surprised

This week’s newsletter is a guest essay written by Alex Derr. Please note: Opinions expressed by guest authors are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Morally Straight or Mike De Socio.

Last month, the Boy Scouts of America finally released the long-awaited Citizenship in Society merit badge. Inspired by nationwide unrest following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, the soon-to-be Eagle-required badge focuses on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, while the badge is an obvious step in the right direction, it’s a far cry from an earlier version of the badge that was leaked nearly a year ago, which originally included discussions about different types of racism and various LGBTQ perspectives. Yet again it seems Scouting has prioritized its membership and fundraising numbers over its moral leadership.

As a scout who has spent most of my life apologizing for Scouting, even as it sought to remove me from the program, it is another stark reminder: For many scouts who have been in the program, loyalty is a one-way street. After 15 years as a scout, I was removed from my troop in 2013. I had come out as gay following the initial membership change, but as an 18-year-old, I was no longer protected within the traditional program. While I remained a youth member of Venturing and the Order of the Arrow, I was still pressured to stop my advocacy and be quiet about that part of my identity if I wanted to avoid getting blacklisted.

Six years later, the pain of these experiences has yet to fully heal. However, I continue to support Scouting because, despite its flaws, I see and value its unique contributions to youth around the world. The potential is there. The program introduced me to my closest friends, taught me skills I use daily, built up my confidence, and provided memories I’ll never forget. Yet at the same time, I still wait for Scouting to give us the basic respect and loyalty we deserve, both as scouts and as human beings.

While LGBTQ scouts like myself were ecstatic following the membership changes of 2014 and 2015, the passing years have demonstrated the limits of these reforms. Changing a policy does not change the mindsets and assumptions that led to it in the first place — especially in an organization where a significant minority of members remain opposed to the changes. This might be one reason that Scouting continues to underperform in attracting a diverse membership. While 26 percent of U.S. kids are Hispanic, and 14 percent are Black, those percentages in Cub Scouts are just 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively, as of 2018. By attempting moral compromises that aim to please everyone, Scouting has only further divided their members and weakened trust in the institution.

This is not the first time Scouting has tried to dodge such an issue. During the era of segregation that permeated the south before the 1950s, Scouting essentially punted on the issue. While the national organization was defensive when it came to claims it supported segregation and claimed to reject racism, it also allowed local troops and councils to segregate scouts by race — a practice that only ended in 1974, two decades after court-ordered integration. Faced with numerous opportunities to lead and end the practice earlier — even with the risk of isolating southern scouts — the organization chose to prioritize its membership above moral leadership.

This brings us back to today and the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement. As thousands of young people took to the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd, Scouting remained conspicuously quiet. However, following sustained outreach by numerous Scouts BSA members, Scouting finally spoke up, much more firmly than many expected. In a strongly worded letter, the National Executive Committee declared that black lives matter and that racism “is not a political issue; it is a human rights issue and one we all have a duty to address.” They promised numerous actions, including developing a merit badge focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. While excited and hopeful, many of us held our breath, curious if the letter was more talk than action.

Seven months later, the first draft of the badge leaked online. Scouting seemed to be walking the walk, using language and a perspective previously unheard of within the program. Some of the most striking provisions included in the draft were:

• An explicit discussion of four different kinds of racism: individual, interpersonal, institutional, and systemic
• A conversation about racism in relation to current events and history
• References to and consideration of LGBTQ identities and perspectives
• A specific requirement about welcoming LGBTQ scouts into a troop

The draft created substantial pushback from those who inexplicably believe Scouting has no duty to address racism, and that LGBTQ members, while present in Scouting, should not be acknowledged or welcomed in any way. The organization hastily put out a statement that the draft was just that: an early draft. Nothing had been decided yet for certain.

Last week our fears were confirmed. The new “Citizenship in Society” badge no longer includes any references to racism of any kind - let alone institutional or systemic racism. This is hard to grasp, as the badge is a direct response to racial injustice last spring. One has to wonder why they would remove race after declaring it a human rights issue we all have a duty to address.

Additionally, any and all allusions to the existence of LGBTQ scouts and leaders have been erased, save for one legal definition of discrimination that includes sexual orientation, seemingly as an afterthought. However, the most concerning aspect of the badge may be how it is structured.

While most merit badges have an in-depth guidebook to help the scout and counselor and provide resources, the Citizenship in Society badge explicitly chose not to develop one. While this is supposedly meant to encourage exploration for the scout, it is likely to simply reinforce pre-existing assumptions, rather than expose them to new and diverse ways of thinking as intended. Scouts with open-minded counselors will get a very different experience than those with more close-minded adult leaders.

All in all, the badge is a small step forward, and that should be acknowledged. Yet Scouting’s continued willingness to bend to pressure when it comes to issues of equity is equally disappointing. While Scouting still hasn’t found a way to be loyal to its LGBTQ members, we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I for one will continue to work to support Scouting, advocating for programs and policies that show every youth in America the love, loyalty, and support they deserve. Scouting may not be perfect, but the potential is there, if only we’re willing to fight for it.

— By Alex Derr