Great gay Scout leader
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In "Gay men and Scouting" (Forum, June 5), Peter Orum asked: "Is a gay scoutmaster really a good idea?" I ask: What makes it a bad idea?
However sincere and genuine, ignorance explains Orum's dilemma. A gay scoutmaster is no more likely to assault a Scout than a male heterosexual Sunday school teacher is likely to assault a female member of his class.
Sexual identification does not a licentious lout make. Moreover, anyone who excels at being, in Orum's words, a "great example of humanity" would make a great Scout leader.
Therefore, to avoid the discrimination Orum rightly opposes, let the man serve, for he's likely to serve with distinction.
Kim M. Clark
Portland, Ore.