Homosexuals within Guiding and Scouting

   At the National General Assembly of the Swedish Guide and Scout Association the issue about homosexuals within Guiding and Scouting was discussed. The General Assembly:

• Recognizing that the Constitution of the World Organization of the Scout Movement clearly defines Scouting as:
  
     "a voluntary non-political educational movement for young people, open to    all without distinction of origin, race or creed, in accordance with the         purpose and method conceived by the founders stated below."
   
• Being faced with the fact that the Boy Scouts of America, as far as we know, has expelled homosexual members from the movement simply because of their sexual preferences, led the National General Assembly to seek clarity about the Boy Scout of America's official position on homosexual members.

  It is the position of the Swedish Guide an Scout Association that no member should be expelled or discriminated because of his/her sexual preferences and it is with sadness in our hearts we note that the Boy Scouts of America does not share our values in this respect. The Swedish Guide and Scout Association, however, recognize the sovereignty of all National Scout Associations and we respect that the Boy Scouts of America has the right to have its own opinion. Still, the General Assembly decided unanimously, to express its differing position on homosexuals in Guiding and Scouting. Expelling, or in other way discriminating a person because of his/her sexual preferences is, in our belief, not a way of showing understanding, friendship and tolerance.

  The Swedish Guide and Scout Association believes that through an openhearted discussion National Scout Associations are brought closer together. Therefore we are hoping that the Boy Scouts of America takes the opportunity to express its official position in homosexuals in Scouting and the Boy Scouts of America, by this letter will again reconsider its position in homosexuals in Scouting.

Yours in Guiding and Scouting,

Mrs. Anita Lindqvist, chairman
Swedish Guide and Scout Association

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