The BSA avoided a big fight over trans youth. But is it a model for inclusion?
Trans participation has not been an all-encompassing debate in the way that gay membership was. But while trans kids are no longer barred, many challenges remain.
This week, I want to share an article I wrote for Xtra Magazine, about something that’s been on my mind for a while: the BSA’s policies toward trans youth.
I thought it was notable that, unlike the 40-year gay membership battle, the BSA moved to accept trans members rather swiftly, after it popped up as an issue in a 2017 case from New Jersey.
But unfortunately, I’m not sure the BSA’s current policies and program for trans youth rise to the level of “inclusion.” As many of you know, membership often plays out on a local troop level, where inclusion is hardly enforced, and big questions about trans participation remain unanswered by national guidelines.
In my article for Xtra Magazine, I analyze how we got here, where the BSA stands today, and the challenges that remain.
