From an amici brief in a BSA gay discrimination case:
Quote:
James Dale became a cub scout at the age of 8 and remained in scouting until he reached the maximum age of 18 in 1988. He was an exemplary scout. He was accepted in the adult program as an Assistant Scoutmaster in 1989, and served for 16 months. Id. at 577-78.
While attending Rutgers University, Dale became a member and eventually co-president of the Rutgers Lesbian/Gay Alliance. During a conference on the psychological and health needs of gay teens, he was interviewed by the Newark Star-Ledger. An article later published in the paper quoted Dale describing his second year at Rutgers. According to the Star-Ledger, he said: "I was looking for a role model, someone who was gay and accepting of me." Dale was identified only as co-president of the Rutgers Alliance. The Boy Scouts were not mentioned in the article. Id. at 578; Joint Lodging Materials 10.
Within a month, Dale was told to sever his relations with the Boy Scouts. When he asked for an explanation, he was told that the Boy Scouts forbids membership to homosexuals. Five months later, a lawyer for the Boy Scouts told Dale the organization does not admit "avowed homosexuals." 160 N.J. at 579-80.
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James never made an issue out of his homosexuality. The BSA had no idea he was gay and accepted him as a scout master for 16 months. Only when they found out - not because he brought it up at BSA meetings or with BSA members or with anything to do with the BSA - did they kick him out. The BSA was the one who "made it an issue."
Link.