I want to share an e-mail I got this morning from allout.org

Dear bill,

The largest youth organization in the United States just pushed a mother and volunteer den leader out of her own son's Scout troop - because she is gay.

Jennifer Tyrrell mentored her son and his fellow boy scouts in Ohio on the core values they're trained to abide by: citizenship, compassion, respect, and responsibility. But last week the Boy Scouts of America betrayed those values by telling Jennifer that she didn't "meet the high standards of membership that the BSA seeks.” Just because she is gay.


Jennifer's son doesn't understand why his mother was fired for who she is and who she loves - and neither do we. But if we act fast, there's something we can do about it. Jennifer's story is only now starting to trickle out to the news - but with your help we can catapult it in to the mainstream. Sign this urgent urgent letter to Boy Scout president Rex Tillerson, asking him to immediately reintegrate Jennifer, and revise the organization’s discriminatory policies. With our friends at Change.org and GLAAD, we'll use your signatures to get this story on primetime by deliveirng your letter directly to Tillerson - and we'll get Jennifer her post back:

www.allout.org/boyscouts

The Boy Scouts have a troubled history of discriminating against gay youth and LGBT families. In the 2004 the organization instituted an official policy stating they'd kick out any gay scouts. But times have changed - the U.S. Armed forces have dropped "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," 8 U.S. states now recognize marriage equality, and most major companies in the United States now bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It's time for the Boy Scouts to change too.

Boy Scouts anti-gay policy isn't just out of touch with public opinion, it's contrary to the Scout's own values. According to Scout law, “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” But it’s hard to see how it is friendly, courteous or brave to discriminate against people.

Other parents in Jennifer's troop felt exactly that way - and they created an outcry of support for Jennifer when they heard the news. The Boy Scouts of America ignored them - but they can't ignore hundreds of thousands of Americans calling on them to reverse this discriminatory and dishonorable move. Sign our letter to Scout president Rex Tillerson, calling for him to reinstate Jennifer's well earned post as den mother of her son's troop - and to discrimination in an organization that is mentoring millions of American youngsters:

www.allout.org/boyscouts

Thanks for going All Out,
Alberto, Andre, Flavia, Guillaume, Jasmin, Joseph, Tile, Wesley and rest of the team at All Out

P.S. Parents in your own neighborhood could be shutout. If you think it's wrong, tell the Boy Scouts now: www.allout.org/boyscouts




SOURCES:

Scouts Booted Lesbian Den Leader Solely for Sexual Orientation
www.advocate.com/Society/Activism/Scouts_Booted_Lesbian_Den_Leader_Solely_for_Sexual_Orientation

Why the Boy Scouts' Expulsion of Jennifer Tyrrell, a Lesbian Den Mother, Hits Close to Home for Me
www.huffingtonpost.com/zach-wahls/jennifer-tyrrell-boy-scouts-lesbian-den-mother_b_1438771.html

Lesbian Mom Ousted From Den Leader Position By Anti-Gay Boy Scouts
www.queerty.com/lesbian-mom-ousted-from-den-leader-position-by-anti-gay-boy-scouts-20120418

Please sign the petition here.
http://www.allout.org/en/actions/boyscouts?akid=678.1038348.dGOOfm&rd=1&t=2&utm_campaign=boyscouts&utm_content=english&utm_medium=email&utm_source=actionkit