Boy Scouts Of America To Begin Admitting Transgender Children
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Boy Scouts of America announced Monday that it will allow transgender children who identify as boys to enroll in its boys-only programs.
The organization announced Monday that it had made the decision to base enrollment in boys-only programs on the gender a child or parent lists on the application to become a scout. The organization had previously held a policy that relied on the gender listed on a child's birth certificate.
A spokeswoman for the organization says it made the decision based on states and communities changing how gender is defined.
"For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual's birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-gender programs," spokeswoman Effie Delimarkos said in a statement. "However, that approach is no longer sufficient as communities and state laws are interpreting gender identity differently, and these laws vary widely from state to state."
The ruling came after Joe Maldonado, a transgender boy in Secaucus, New Jersey, was asked late last year to leave his Scout troop after parents and leaders found out he is transgender.
As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, Joe wants to have fun with his friends just like every 8-year-old, and he was very unhappy to be kicked out of his troop.
"I like to go camping. I like to do science experiments. We eat cupcakes," Joe said. "It was fun, but they ruined."
In December, Joe was kicked out of Boy Scout Pack 87 in Secaucus because he was born female.
"This never happened in my life," Joe said. "I didn't do anything wrong."
Joe's mother signed him up for Cub Scouts in Secaucus, making it very clear that he was transgender. But she got a call from the head counsel for the Boy Scouts saying Joe was out.
Joe has since gotten support from all over the country, and after a month of not hearing from the Boy Scouts, his mother, Kristie Maldonado, took their battle to court last Thursday. She filed a complaint with the New Jersey state Division of Civil Rights.
"This was a wake-up call for him that our society could be so cruel. He didn't understand why," Kristie Maldonado said, "because he feels like all the other kids."
Joe said he was glad about the Boy Scouts' decision Monday, but he said he should have been accepted all along.
"I feel happy but, I don't feel too satisfied," Joe said.
Joe said he is not sure if he will re-join the Boy Scouts, but he is hopeful his story will help other children in the future.
The Boy Scouts of America endured years of controversy before ultimately lifting bans on gay Scouts and leaders in recent years. But as recently as December, the organization said it considered transgender children as a separate issue.
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