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5.. ,1 U I -
SCOLHS Honor l??? Documentahon Prmeci BCQIHS
Boy Scouts of America (BSA)Iis In response to a lack of
stirring up controversy nationWide data on discrimination against
' . B - .
duiio its ban on homosexuals y lesbians, gays and bisexuals,
po le, the BSA prohibits openly GLSO' t t' D t t'
lesbigay scouts, troop leaders or den . ls S ar lng a ocumen a, lon
mothers. Critics charge that PrOJect Vla the GLSO Phoneline.
exclusion by the BSA only adds to the If You our Someone. YOU, kI_IOW has
social ostracism felt by gay youth been a Victim of discrimination
already affectedbyanti—gay churches, in Kentucky, please call and
schools and often families. register this bias. Outside of
ConSlderlng that gay Youth are ?—3 Louisville, Kentucky does not
times as likely to attempt su1c1de have a Hate Crimes law, and
and that 40: Of illhlesfiigfy Yogth Who there are increasing complaints
come out be ore ig SC 00 gra uation .
are forced out of their parents’ SpOUt. thet'docgmegiatlfog OE
homes, the BSA only further harms lscrlmlna lon \y , e e era
vulnerable gay youth. On the other government When it concerns
hand, the exclusion leaves many lesbigaYS- ' If YOU have been
lesbian and gay parents with children fired for being gay, assaulted,
in a predicament. Although at least insulted, denied motel rooms or
one openly lesbian couple served as housing, etC., call and report
Cub Scout den mothers in 1987, this it_ These forms have no legal
recent policy would currently exclude binding but are entirely for
them“ The basis for this policy is an monitoring of discrimination in
interesting twist of gay slang. The flu}; State'. Nirth carOllna htas
BSA are using the words “morally a 51, 31ml, ar grassroo S
straight” in the BSA oath to exclude reporting progect er many Years -
gays: “straight” originally beinga I'D part_ due to thlS excellent
code word for heterosexuals in the monitoring, North Carolina tops
gay subculture. the nation annuall in hate
I I I y n
The BSA states that the crimes against lesbigays. It is
organization strives to train boys time to take the pulse of
for leadership roles and instill the homophobia in Kentucky so that
proverbial Scouts honor. Yet, when .
the GLSO News called the Lexington 1t cagobiesgirépii' incident Of
BSA to ask about this policy, Program d' . . E. . K t k ll
Director George Young repeatedly lscrlmlna 10“?“ en uc y! ca
hung up on the reporter, a former Boy the GLSO Gayllne at 231—0335
Scout ironically. Thus, the GLSO from 8pm~llpm, wedneSdaYS/
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 11) Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.