FLAGS Blogs
Want to put something out there??
Submit your blogs/words/thoughts directly to Vic Leon-Cutler and she will post them for you: deputy@flagscouts.org.uk
Today an eight year old made me smile
8th January 2015
I am a Young Leader at a Cub Pack. Cubs is the section of Scouting in the UK for 8-10 year olds.
I’ve always been known as Aimee at Cubs but I guess as a boy with a girls name, until tonight. Tonight when I went I had my bow in my hair and my nails painted.I overhead this conversation between an eight year old Cub and another Leader;
Cub: Is she a girl?
Leader: Yes,
Cub: Okay!This cub then proceeded to use my correct pronouns for the night despite others around her still getting them wrong.
It truly is the smallest things that make the largest of differences, this girl is 8, she’s young and still learning every day, but today she showed she does know about respect.
Through the night I got many other questions about my Gender Identity but I had to remain on task but it did raise the idea of doing a night around Equalities and how despite our differences, we are still all human.
I am proud to say I scout, and I feel incredibly lucky to have amazing opportunities in Scouting.
Aimee, is 17 years old, a photographer and an Explorer Scout
I saw this online this morning, and it was beautiful - thought I would share it with you all - Rob :-)
Coming OUT in Scouting - Sean's story
16th October 2014
It's so encouraging to hear stories like this! Thanks to Sean's #bravery, the Boy Scouts of America continues to inch closer towards equality. Are you willing to share your story, too? Email us at info@scoutsforequality.com.
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My name is Sean, and in light of this past Saturday being National Coming Out Day, I would like to share my coming out story within the Boy Scouts of America, specifically with an individual very close to me named Tom.*Scouting has always been a hugely important part of Tom’s life. In addition to being an ordained minister, he is an Eagle Scout, the son of an Eagle, the father of another, a Vigil member of the OA, and has many more Scouting accolades than he lets on. However, he is (was) very homophobic. For years as a youth, and now as an adult, we've disagreed strongly about the BSA's policies regarding gays in Scouting. About a year ago (before he knew I was gay) he made a comment to me...the irony of which almost crushed me. "Sean, I respect you as a leader, so we can agree to disagree, but I just don't think gays are capable of being good leaders or are safe to be around children." Now, at this point, I had already come out to another anti-gay Scouter and close friend, John. In addition to being my friend, he regards me as one of the best OA ceremonialists he's seen, one of the strongest leaders he's met, and one of the most loyal Scouters to the program. Upon learning about my sexual orientation, John broke down and said “Sean...realizing that this membership rule kicks out people like you, and two of my other friends...I can't support that policy. We need people like you around.” My coming out to him had completely changed his perspective.
Given my previous conversation with John, and after deep reflection, I summoned the courage to confront Tom, my other long-time friend mentioned earlier. So, after speaking to my boyfriend (also an Eagle), and two other friends...we decided we would come out to him together to show him who the BSA’s discrimination was affecting. We started a group message on Facebook, and began debating the policy. One by one, all three of us said to him, “We're gay. We don't want to hit on children, and we don't want sexuality to be a part of Scouting, because we are here to teach about first aid, emergency preparedness...how to build fires and sharpen axes. Ropes and knots, and how to be an upstanding citizen.” He went silent for a moment, and then told us he had been crying during this silence. Why? He finally realized that we had all willingly put a great personal strain on our relationships with our significant others so we could remain a part of Scouting. He understood our arguments were not because of our sexuality, but rather because we want to pass on the skills that we were taught by the previous generation, skills that many youth today don't have. And, while he remains morally opposed to homosexuality, he stands behind an inclusive, conduct-based membership policy, and that we should all be allowed to openly participate in order to ensure that the next generation strives to be better leaders than ourselves.
*names changed to protect identities
SfE Strategy LIVE STREAM
10th September 2014
so last night, I was all coffee'd up, popped a few pro-plus!!!!
why?
to see an amazing strategy briefing from Scouts for Equality, that was live streamed from US 9pm EST, yeah sure I could have watched the recorded version on You Tube, when I was more awake, but I wanted to let our Brother (& Sister) Scouts in America that the UK was supporting them all the way, (even if it meant staying awake til silly o' clock)
I have been truly inspired by some of the great work that I have been seeing coming out of America these past few months, and would like to share it with as many of our FLAGS members as possible. It would be great to have a 'proper' associate chapter here in the UK, with members to show just how much they are supported over here - lets work together on this one!!!!
Rob Vaines
comms@flagscouts.org.uk
