The organization formerly known as Boy Scouts of America is facing backlash for abolishing gay-friendly activities at its yearly convention.
BSA, recently renamed Scouting America, did away with “gay spaces” at this year’s National Jamboree, being held this week in West Virginia.
The organization’s downplaying gender confusion comes amid pressure from the Trump administration to pull back its focus on “diversity.”
Jamboree organizers eliminated dedicated spaces for gay youth, women and scouts of color.
The changes at the jamboree reflect shifts made by scout leaders since they became a target of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over what he calls “woke” policies.
A number of scouts who had planned to attend the event backed out because Scouting America scrapped the inclusion initiatives it previously celebrated, according to The Associated Press.
John Andrew Segebarth, a gay Eagle Scout, pulled out of the jamboree to protest the changes.
“Scouting’s kind of walking back on its values that they told me they believed in,” Segebarth said.
Failing to honor sexual diversity is effectively “denying safety and fun to thousands of young people,” agreed Samuel Aronson, an assistant scoutmaster who is also boycotting the jamboree.
The scouts have long held close ties to the military, which provides logistical support for the jamboree.
The organization, previously known as Boy Scouts of America, rebranded two years ago to emphasize “inclusion.”
