Transgender youths are targeted in Scouting America changes pushed by the Pentagon

[Jilly_in_VA]

Scouting America will alter several policies at the urging of the Pentagon, including one targeting transgender youths, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday as he pushes a campaign against military support for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Some of the changes mirror what the organization suggested to the Pentagon in January, including discontinuing its Citizenship in Society merit badge, introducing a Military Service merit badge and waiving registration fees for the children of military personnel.

Under Hegseth, the Pentagon has taken aim at the military’s partnership with Scouting America, decrying its historic rebrand in 2024 from the Boy Scouts of America and other changes in recent years that he sees as part of “woke culture” efforts that he wants to root out.

Hegseth said in a video posted on X that Scouting America will require its members to use their “biological sex at birth and not gender identity.” He said applications will list only options for male and female and the one checked must match the applicant’s birth certificate. The group would clarify that youths of opposite genders assigned at birth cannot share bathrooms, tents or other similar spaces, he said.

Hegseth said the Pentagon will “vigorously review” the changes Scouting America has made in six months and cease its support of the organization if it fails to comply.

https://apnews.com/article/scouting-america-pentagon-military-boy-scouts-14a5fc1521fcd1e51103638f6f504214

When did the Scouts become an arm of the Pentagon and become Shitler Youth? Did I miss something? I thought they were an arm of the Mormon Church.....

[dflprincess]

1. My first thought was "no cookies this year"

But, fortunately. Girl Scouts are not part of Scouting America & continue to support LGBTQ rights.

[Rob H.]

2. "Military Service merit badge"? Dafuq? nt

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. worrying about kids' genitals is weird

[Jokerman]

4. Boy Scouts have a long history of discrimination.

I was bullied and eventually forced out of a troop many years ago because I didn't go to the right church.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. Nobody has yet answered my question

When did the Scouts become an arm of the Pentagon and become ShitlerYouth?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. Every four years, the National Scout Jamboree is held at a military base

I was one of the founding leaders of my Temple's troop and my oldest child was our first Eagle Scout. My oldest attended the National Scout Jamboree at the military base a long time ago. I understand that a different base is now being used. Scouting may be willing to discuss issues with Hegseth. I note that many leaders in the military come from scouting
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/02/27/hegseth-scouting-america

Hegseth’s demands for change were made months before Scouting America was to celebrate Jamboree, a 10-day summit scheduled for July that is expected to draw more than 15,000 Scouts from throughout the country to West Virginia. It’s held every four years, and Scout troops hold popcorn sales and other fundraisers to be able to attend.

In the past, upward of 500 National Guard personnel, military reservists and active-duty service members have provided equipment and logistical support for Jamboree. The loss of that support could have put the event in jeopardy.

Scouting America has long been an important recruiting pipeline for the military services and a means for military personnel serving overseas to find support for their children.

In a statement, Scouting America said the arrangement it has reached with the Pentagon will strengthen those ties by “waiving registration fees for military families, launching a new merit badge focused on military service and veterans, and reinforcing our commitment to Scouting’s foundational ideas: leadership, character, duty to God, duty to country and service.”

Again, I am not happy with Hegseth and I hope that Scouting will treat these demands like scouting used to treat the demands of LDS troops on homosexuality.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. As a former scout leader and father of an eagle scout, I am appalled at these alleged concessions

I was one of the founders of my temple's scouting troop and my oldest was the first Eagle Scout for our troop. While I was also on the board of my Temple, an issue came up about the "official" BSA policy on gays in Scouting. This policy was intended to help keep the troops formed by LDS temples happy. I had to deal with board of the Temple and we had assurances from the leadership of our regional governing body that BSA had a "don't ask, don't tell" type policy with respect to sexual orientation of scouts. To make the board happy, I actually had to go meet with the leadership of our Council (the regional governing body). Among other things, I pointed out to the leadership of our council that my Temple and the other Temple with a scout troop had a good number of members on the board of United Way and other groups who help support scouting.

I am hoping that Hegseth is overstating the agreement with Scouting. I saw this in the Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/02/27/hegseth-scouting-america

Hegseth’s announcement was less clear about the agreement’s impact on transgender children who wish to join the Scouts or remain in their Scouting troops. In his video statement, Hegseth said that Scouting America will “modify its policy to make clear that membership will be based solely on biological sex at birth and not gender identity,” and he assailed the organization for having “welcomed the destructive myth of gender fluidity and transgenderism to infiltrate their membership.”

“Any application will have only two sex designations, male and female, and the application must match the applicant’s birth certificate,” he said. “Scouting will also make clear that biological boys and girls will not be allowed to occupy or share intimate spaces together — toilets, showers, tents, anywhere like that.”

In a statement to The Washington Post, Scouting America said that children have always joined according to their biological gender and that no modification was necessary on that issue.

“Scouting has accepted transgender youth since 2017 and will continue to work with families to ensure transgender youth feel welcome in Scouting,” it said. “Scouting has extensive safeguarding policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety and comfort of youth members in all situations.”

I am really not happy with Hegseth's attacks on Scouting. I hope that "don't ask, don't tell" is still the policy of scouting