Pride Profile: Carson Lee
"Be more you than you have ever been. Being your full, unapologetic self inspires others to do the same."
Most of you are probably familiar with Carson Lee’s work, even if you don’t realize it.
Lee was the ArrowPride staff member who designed the beautiful rainbow swag that proved be NOAC’s hottest commodity this summer (at least, according to this observer). Those rainbow bracelets, patches and neckerchiefs were all created by Lee, a gay eagle scout from New Jersey.
As member of the affinity space staff, I asked Lee to answer a few questions about his experience as a gay man in Scouting. His answers are below, lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
What would you tell your younger Scouting self?
Be more you than you have ever been. Being your full, unapologetic self inspires others to do the same.
What future do you want to see for LGBTQ+ people in Scouting?
I want to see scouts feeling welcome when they enter the Scouting space, and that each scout knows that they can be their full selves, and that no one ever has to choose between their identity and Scouting.
Why is Scouting worth it?
Scouting to me is worth it because of the people you meet and the community you can establish. Every meeting I have with Scouts is a meeting I have with friends. I often say I do it less for the organization itself, but more the people inside the organization. Scouting has become a second family to me that has allowed me to grow into the most comfortable version of myself.
What else should I know about your Scouting story?
When I was little, I remember running home in first grade with a Cub Scout flier, excited to join. But after talking it over with my mom, she suggested that's not something I would want to do. While at the time I didn't know it, she was trying to protect me from Scouting's reputation of being homophobic and exclusive, and didn't want to see her son get hurt by putting himself out there.
Many years later, my freshman year of high school, I joined Scouting on a whim of curiosity without really asking my parents. Scouting seemed to have a bunch of aspects I love, like volunteering and experiencing the outdoors. Now that I've seen what Scouting has to offer, I wish I joined way earlier.
