Jennifer Tyrell was the “den mother” for her seven-year-old son’s Tiger Scout pack for a year before the regional and national Boy Scouts organization told her to “leave her troop, because her sexual orientation ‘did not meet the high standards’ of conduct set by the Boy Scouts of America,” according to an article I recently read.
When reciting the Boy Scouts of America’s oath, one promises “to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” The Boy Scouts of America have long withstood contempt for their firm stance on what they classify as “morally straight.”
The article asked Jennifer why she would allow her son to participate, knowing the organization’s stance on her sexuality. Her answer was simple: because her son really, really wanted to.
Putting my personal definition of “morally straight” aside, as well as my feelings toward any person or organization determining who may and may not participate in activities based on their sexual orientation, I am left with these thoughts:
My heart goes out to her, from one mother to another; and I can imagine the internal pain she may feel for no longer being able to participate in an activity that brings joy and happiness to her child. Male, female, black, white, gay, straight, conservative, liberal, breast-feeder, bottle-feeder, stay-at-home, out in the workforce, religious, and not … we are all the same. And none of these characteristics should define our worth as parents.
Kim Shannon
Kimberly Shannon is a wife, a mother, an editor, a writer, a Pilates instructor, a dance teacher, a choreographer ... She is always working to find the perfect balance¹!
After Kimberly received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism, she worked on two master’s degree...Read More