Obama says Boy Scouts ban on gays must end
President Barack Obama said on Sunday that gay people should be allowed in the Boy Scouts of America, and that “nobody should be barred” from the experience of being a scout.
In a pre-Super Bowl CBS interview, Obama said that gay and lesbian people should not be blocked from any opportunities.
In a statement released by the White House last august, Obama said that he opposed the ban. Obama, like presidents for the past century, automatically serves as honorary president of the group.
He said: “My attitude is that gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does in every institution and walk of life.
“The Scouts are a great institution that are promoting young people and exposing them to opportunities and leadership that will serve people for the rest of their lives. And I think nobody should be barred from that.”
The Obamas were hosting a party at the White House in honour of the two teams playing, the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens.
The Boy Scouts have lost funding from several large corporate donors over the policy, including UPS, back in November, who had given over $150,000 (£95,000), Intel, another of the scouts’ largest donors, ceased funding back in September, and the Merck Foundation in December.
MyPinkNews members are invited to comment on articles to discuss the content we publish, or debate issues more generally. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines to ensure that our community remains a safe and inclusive space for all.
Report this comment
Please let us know why you would like to report this comment:
The ability to comment will be removed from anyone who does not follow our Terms & Conditions