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Should Gay Men be Boy Scout Leaders?

I believe in the rights of gay people to put their partners on their health benefits at
work. Gays should be free to be police officers, firemen, military soldiers (who shower
separately), teachers, congressmen and if he/she shared my political views I would even vote
for a homosexual for government office. Homosexuals should have the same job
opportunities, should have next-of kin-status when their partner is ill or dies, and be free
from discrimination when applying for a mortgage as a couple

What I cannot advocate is the constitutional rights of gay men to serve as Boy Scout
leaders. Why is this even a debate? You wouldn’t want a 26-year-old single man who is
heterosexual, camping out in the woods with your 12 year old daughter would you? There is
too much room for inappropriate sexual activity to take place when you mix adult males
with young girls (if they are straight) or with young boys (if they are gay). This isn’t really a
homosexual issue at all. It’s an issue of protecting children from people who may have an
interest in them sexually when they are vulnerable and unprotected. Parents must enjoy the
absolute trust in the boy scout leaders who are taking charge of their children. Children are
so fragile and trusting that society must make laws which value their protection as our
highest priority.

Now, if a gay man wants to be a Girl Scout leader I don’t think I have a problem
with that. Some parents may disagree. And if a gay woman wants to be a Boy Scout leader I
don’t have a problem with that either. The chances of sexual activity between a gay man and
a 12 year old girl are non-existent because gay men are not interested in having sex with
other females. The very fact that I have to present this debate to my readers concerns me
greatly. We have lost all our common sense when our courts and our government think it is
more important to protect the rights of an adult who wants to camp out with children, instead
of protecting the rights of our children to be free from potential predators, homosexual or
heterosexual.

What’s missing from debates such as these is the understanding of human (male)
sexuality. If a man is sexually attracted to other males, allowing that individual to have
access to young impressionable males is an invitation for trouble. Period. When you weigh
the rights of homosexuals against the rights of children I have to side with children every
time. And you should too. Allowing gay and lesbians to interact with any adult in any work
environment they want to should be an absolute right. We cannot grant constitutional rights,
however, to everyone who wants to be in charge of (or be alone with) our children. That is
not, and should not be, an absolute right.

This column was originally published in Rumbo, on May 01, 2000