DONAHUE: Boy Scouts of America's Attitude Toward Atheists, Homosexuals & Women Scoutmasters - 7/1991

TODAY IN QUEER TV HISTORY

DONAHUE - 7/12/1991, Syndicated

In this clip, Phil Donahue interviews people fighting the Boy Scouts of America's ban on atheist, agnostic or homosexual scouts and scout leaders, and women scoutmasters.

The gay ex-Scouts seen in this clip are Tim Curran (who had sued the BSA in 1981 over discrimination) and Rob Schwitz (a 20-year-old who was thrown out of both the Boy Scouts and the Air Force ROTC for being gay).

Almost 30 years later, the Boy Scouts of America has finally stopped discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. However, it still bars open atheists from membership. As recently as 2018, the BSA was putting out statements to the effect that atheists are bad citizens.

[tinabates]

He took us so far with his shows. Thank God for TV like this. It brought US into America's livingrooms.

[tarheelking]

1:02 this was the reason the boys scouts kicked tim Curran out