Steps Forward for LGBT Equality

On July 13th two organizations took important steps forward for LGBT equality. In the wake of the Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage nationwide, the Boy Scouts has moved toward lifting it’s ban on gay leadership and the Department of Defense has started work to lift its ban on Transgender Service. Humanists, unfortunately, still struggle for equality in both organizations.

As MAAF has explained (extensively 2, 3) in the past, discrimination by the Boy Scouts is discrimination by the Department of Defense. This is because the DoD awards automatic promotions to top Scouts and provides locations and services on military installations for Scouting. Their prior policy, to allow gay children to be Scouts while Scout leaders still carried out anti-gay policy was worse because it allowed anti-gay leaders in an anti-gay organization to shame gay children in person.

Overall this new policy is very encouraging news, but Not.So.Fast. The real story is that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Executive Committee voted, albeit unanimously, to put the motion to a full Board vote on July 27th, at which time the motion may or may not pass. Presuming it passes, the motion does not entirely lift the ban. It allows local Scout troops to make their own decision. This will give breathing room to anti-gay local troops, but the BSA as a national organization will still be tolerating widespread bigotry and misinformation in its Troops. In addition, the BSA still discriminates against humanists and other nontheists. They also deny participation to non-gender-conforming boys. While many people point out their local troop doesn’t discriminate, the BSA still discriminates until national policy, values, and educational material entirely eliminate LGBT and atheist discrimination.

The Boy Scouts of America affirms the right of each chartering organization to reach its own religious and moral conclusions … to select adult leaders.

The Department of Defense took a great stride forward by publishing plans to allow open service for trans persons. The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other nations already have full or at least partial inclusion of Trans persons in their militaries. The precedent is set. And despite Chelsea Manning’s misadventures, we have below just a small selection of those trans persons who have served honorably in our own military, from general enlisted service to senior special forces operatives. They should not have to be closeted. The DoD has affirmed what should be obvious, that one’s gender identity and expression is irrelevant to military service, so long as it is not repressed.

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter issued the following directives, to investigate and find real obstacles for trans service, to advise implementation not to be excuses to say no, and to reserve to higher levels the discharge of any current trans service members.

[T]he working group will start with the presumption that transgender persons can serve openly without adverse impact on military effectiveness and readiness, unless and except where objective, practical impediments are identified. Second, I am directing that decision authority in all administrative discharges for those diagnosed with gender dysphoria or who identify themselves as transgender be elevated to Under Secretary Carson, who will make determinations on all potential separations.

This is a great step forward and a great win for organizations like SPARTA who have so tirelessly worked to overcome years of misinformation about transgender persons.