A Thank You Letter to The Boy Scouts of America

Dear BSA,

I want to thank you for your clear position on gay kids and adults.

You see, I have been feeling really guilty. My two eldest sons got involved in our local chapter last year, and they enjoyed the experience. From collecting soup cans to the camping trip, they learned valuable skills and found friends. This year, the meeting night changed and we had a conflict, so we haven't been involved. I felt badly about depriving my kids of this great opportunity.

Now I see that our kids can't be Scouts. Why, you ask? Because I have no crystal ball. It is not possible for me to know which, if any, of my four sons will realize in the next few years that he is gay.

So I am thrilled! Thrilled that I have already disentangled our children from an organization that would, in that case, marginalize and isolate them. A group of mentors and leaders and friends perfectly placed to make him feel unworthy of love.

Oh, and one more thing. Thanks for helping me avoid teaching my children to side with the bullies.

My sons may or may not realize that they love men romantically, but it is certain that they will know boys and men who do. I am thrilled to escape years of enculturation into a group with such strong values of suppression and discrimination.

You've done me one last favor. As a family doctor, I encourage children throughout my community to get involved with organized activities. You've taken this out of the realm of politics and made it a health issue.

So, now that you've made your position clear, I can do the same with my own.

Sincerely,
Deborah Gilboa, MD (but you can call me Dr. G like my hundreds of patients do)