Scouting Equality Group Challenges Boy Scouts On Gay Adults - With Donations Riding In The Balance

NEW YORK - April 22, 2015 - PRLog -- Scouts for Equality launched a challenge to the Boy Scouts of America today, calling on BSA President Bob Gates to overturn the organization’s policy banning gay parents and adults. The challenge campaign, hosted on the crowdfunding platform Challeng.org, allows anyone to donate directly to the Boy Scouts to show their support for equality in scouting - but the donations will only be processed if the Scouts vote to overturn the ban at their upcoming annual meeting.

The challenge was issued via video by Scouts for Equality Executive Director Zach Wahls, and calls for an end to discrimination in Scouting. In the video, Wahls announced that Scouts for Equality has pledged $10,000 to kick off the campaign, and called on supporters of equality to donate on Challeng.org to make their voices heard.

“When I was growing up in the Boy Scouts, my moms taught me that your sexual orientation has nothing to do with your ability to live by the Scout Oath,” said Wahls. “That’s why I’m so proud to be supporting this campaign. If you support equality, please pledge now at challeng.org/boyscouts (https://www.challeng.org/boyscouts) to tell Bob Gates that you’re ready for a future of Scouting that doesn’t include discrimination.”

Proceeds to the campaign have already topped $35,000 in less than an hour since the campaign’s launch. Challeng will not process the donations unless the Boy Scouts vote to repeal their ban at their annual meeting, to be held May 20-22 in Atlanta, GA. Supporters of equality can make their pledge at https://www.challeng.org/boyscouts any time, until the results of the vote are announced on May 22.

Scouts for Equality, whose core leadership is made up of Eagle Scouts, is hoping that this campaign will be their latest win in their ongoing battle against discrimination in the Boy Scouts. The organization scored a major victory when the Boy Scouts of America voted to end their ban on gay scouts in May 2013, under pressure from SFE and other equality groups.

About Scouts for Equality

Scouts for Equality is a 501(c)(3) organization composed largely of Boy Scouts of America alumni dedicated to ending the BSA’s ban on gay members and leaders. Scouting provides youth with an opportunity to try new things, provide service to others, build self-confidence, and reinforce ethical standards. These opportunities reward Scouts throughout their lives by improving their relationships, their work lives, their family lives, and the values by which they live. Scouts for Equality is a living example of this, as all members of our core leadership team are Eagle Scouts, all of whom can attest to the value provided to them through Scouting. As Scouts, we believe discrimination goes against the values our movement teaches us and has no place in Scouting’s future. We believe that all youth, including those that are members of your community, should have this same opportunity. The creed and principles of the Scout Oath and Law will drive our mission as we work to save a great cultural icon: the Boy Scouts of America.

www.scoutsforequality.org

About Challeng.org

Challeng is the first crowdfunding platform for change. We create challenges to inspire action and benefit great causes, and we never forget our ultimate mission: to make the world a better place.

www.challeng.org

Graphic Assets

Scouts for Equality logo: http://s16.postimg.org/sky2yqldh/SFE_logo.png

Challeng logo: http://s11.postimg.org/4rwsgt3yr/Challeng_Logo_Black.jpg

Boy Scouts Campaign screenshot: http://s30.postimg.org/98i8124o1/150416_Boyscouts_Site_Image.png