Transforming Scouting From the Inside, with Cheryl Katon
The outspoken advocate for change helped the BSA welcome LGBTQ members in the 2010s.
In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Cheryl Katon. She grew up in Scouting in the 1970s and 80s, and went on to spend her entire career working for the BSA.
Why it matters: Katon wasn’t just any Scouting professional. In every council where she worked, she was an outspoken advocate for queer and, especially, trans people like herself. By the time she changed careers in 2021, she helped top BSA leaders navigate crucial policy changes that opened the doors to LGBTQ scouts.
In my conversation with Katon, we talked about:
- How she came to understand her gender identity as a teenager
- Her experience implementing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”-style policies on the council level before gay members were officially allowed
- Why she decided to leave professional Scouting
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