SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Pride Center has been denied an application for its own non-discriminatory Boy Scout troop.
The center applied to create a scout group run by straight individuals, and their intent was to include boys who feel uncomfortable in their current troops or whose parents oppose the gay membership ban.
Valerie Larabee, executive director for Utah Pride Center, said they were shocked their application was denied because she said they followed all of the Boy Scouts of America’s rules.
“Every one of the scout leaders involved in this process was straight, so we didn’t break any BSA guidelines with that,” she said. “We simply want to host a scout troop.”
The BSA is expected to make a decision on whether they will keep or change their ban on openly gay leaders and members in May.
