Tag Archives: Change.Org

Boy Scout Resolution ~ Still Hurtful and Harmful

On May 22 – 24, the Boy Scouts of America’s National Council will vote on a resolution that will allow gay youth to participate in the organization, but will maintain its ban on gay parents like me. I’m urging the Boy Scouts to consider a different resolution, like the one submitted by the Los Angeles Area Boy Scout Council, which would end the ban on gay youth and parents and allow me to continue Scouting with my son, Cruz.

My name is Jennifer Tyrrell. I am a devoted partner, mother, friend and community leader in Bridgeport, Ohio. I’m also a former Tiger Cub den leader with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). In April 2012, I was removed from this volunteer position, and my membership was revoked after nearly a year of service -– just because I happen to be gay.

No parent should ever have to look their children in the eyes and tell them their family isn’t good enough. But the Boy Scouts’ current proposal forces gay parents and adult leaders to do just that.

This is some of the language from the NEW change.org petition I am launching in partnership with Scouts For Equality. The BSA knows this proposal is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Sign my petition now asking them to allow LGBT parents like me to participate in their children’s lives!

Discrimination is NEVER ok! Just because the BSA has the legal right to deny LGBT people membership, doesn’t mean that it is morally right.

The BSA’s history of discrimination:

Segregated public schools were declared unconstitutional in 1954 by a unanimous Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, but the Boy Scouts of America included racially segregated units as late as 1974. It took the BSA 20 years to catch up to society in regards to the treatment of black people. In fact, only conceded when legally forced to do so.

Women were not allowed to hold the posts of Cubmaster or Scoutmaster until 1988, although they were allowed to participate as in Cub Scouting as “den mothers”. Catherine N. Pollard sued in Connecticut state courts to be allowed the post of Scoutmaster. Although the court ultimately ruled against her, in 1988 the BSA’s executive board voted to allow women to hold the post of Scoutmaster. So less than 25 years ago WOMEN were still being discriminated against in this archaic institution!

Now loving and devoted parents like myself and Greg Bourke are being refused membership. We just want to be involved in our children’s lives and watch them grow into wonderful, productive adults. Please stop denying us that right.

This resistance to change is unhealthy behavior and has a negative effect on society and more importantly ,encourages discrimination and intolerance. The American Medical Association (AMA) has reaffirmed “that there is no basis for the denial to any human being of equal rights, privileges, and responsibilities commensurate with his or her individual capabilities and ethical character because of an individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or transgender status, race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, national origin, or age.”

Join me and Scouts For Equality in telling the BSA to include all AMERICANS! People have already been telling the BSA they do not approve as they have had more than a 21% decline in new membership since 1999 and the James Dale v. Boy Scouts of America Supreme court case. I wager a guess that if the BSA continues down this path, they will ultimately discriminate themselves into extinction. We love the BSA and do not want to see this happen. Despite this one policy, the BSA is a valuable institution in our society. It is our hope that they listen to the people that care about their future and include everyone.

If you haven’t signed this new petition, please sign now and share on FaceBook and Twitter.

Call To Action!! Tell the BSA we want NOH8 in Scouting!

The NOH8 campaign has joined in to assist in our journey to a better Boy Scouts! I had a private photo shoot in my hotel room in Los Angeles after the 25th annual GLAAD Awards. I am honored to not only support the amazing NOH8 project, but help launch a new branch! If you are a scout, scout leader, eagle scout or formerly any of the aforementioned, come to ANY open NOH8 shoot IN UNIFORM and you will be photographed by the one and only Adam Bouska, for FREE! Read here

http://www.noh8campaign.com/article/bsa-call-to-action

Get involved and Stay informed:

For updates to this campaign follow Jen on Twitter @Jen_Tyrrell

This blog may also appear in part or in its entirety on Huffington Post- Gay Voices

Please share this content.

Buffer

Share on Tumblr

Boy Scouts Proposal Will Uphold Discrimination Against LGBTQ Parents & Adults

The Boy Scouts of America are a real piece of work. While all eyes in America are glued to the largest manhunt in recent history to protect our nation from further acts of terror – they decide to slip out the fact that they are going to “let” LGBTQ boys remain in the Scouts, but MAINTAIN the ban on adults. (Also, athiests still not welcome.)

Jen & her son are still excluded by Boy Scouts

From GLAAD:

NEW YORK, April 19, 2013 – GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today responded to the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) proposal to maintain its ban on gay and lesbian parents. The proposed language reads in part: “[…] the Boy Scouts of America will maintain the current membership policy for all adult leaders of the Boy Scouts of America […].”

“Yet again, the Boy Scouts of America has failed its members, corporate sponsors, donors and the millions of Americans who agree that the time to end discrimination in Scouting is now,” said Rich Ferraro, Vice President of Communications at GLAAD. “By refusing to consider an end to its ban on gay and lesbian parents, the Boy Scouts have missed an opportunity to exercise leadership and usher the organization back to relevancy. We’re living in a culture where, until every young person and parent have the same opportunity to serve, the Boy Scouts will continue to see a decline in both membership and donations.”

Today, the BSA released proposed language for a revised Membership Standards Resolution, which, if approved, would open Scouting to gay youth but would maintain the organization’s ban on gay and lesbian parents. A body of 1,400 members will vote on whether or not to adopt the policy next month. The Resolution reads in part:

WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America will maintain the current membership policy for all adult leaders of the Boy Scouts of America, and

Youth membership in the Boy Scouts of America is open to all youth who meet the specific membership requirements to join the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Sea Scout, and Venturing programs. Membership in any program of the Boy Scouts of America requires the youth member to (a) subscribe to and abide by the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law, (b) subscribe to and abide by the precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle (duty to God), and (c) demonstrate behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct and respect for others and is consistent at all times with the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.

Full resolution language is available here.

Contributing blogger and friend to Pittsburgh Jen Tyrrell sent me this statement – she’s a lesbian flying on her own dime, using her own paid time off to support a GLAAD event on the West Coast – before her flight took-off:

“I am appalled at the Boys Scouts’ announcement,” said Ohio mom Jennifer Tyrrell, who was ousted as leader of her son’s Cub Scouts pack in April 2012 because she’s gay. ”The fact that they are still telling children their parents aren’t good enough is heartbreaking to me. How many times do families like mine have to be rejected by this organization? The release of this information at the same time our fellow Americans in Boston are suffering so much is nothing short of despicable. In a time, when we as a country need to stand up and show solidarity, compassion, and love for all, the BSA is continuing to divide the country with their discriminatory policy.”

As a social worker, an LGBTQ adult, a former Girl Scout and a citizen of this nation – I AM APPALLED, TOO!

Take ACTION – Sign this petition to the Laurel Highlands Scouting Leaders which includes Southwestern PA.

Please share this content.

Buffer

Share on Tumblr

Changing the Conversation About Soap Operas?

A few months ago, I was asked to participate in a Change.org effort to send a message to the soap operas that “rape does not equal romance.” I declined. Why? Well, I do agree with the message but I also know the soaps. And I thought it was pointless and wouldn’t work.

EJ coerced Sami into sex on Days of Our Lives

I really regret that decision. So when an opportunity to speak up presented itself, I went for it. During General Hospital’s 50th Anniversary extravaganza, a side story emerged – try to stay with me - 22 year old Michael Corinthos was dumped by his girlfriend so he got drunk and woke up in the bed of his former stepmother, Brenda Barrett. Michael’s mother Carly found them in bed, jump to conclusions (as did Michael) and all hell broke loose. It was actually a pretty amusing set of scenes as Brenda baited Carly and Carly went ballistic. Amusing because it was pretty clear that the two did not have sex and Brenda was just playing Carly.

Then I gave it some more thought – not so funny. Michael is a rape survivor who has had terrible problems with sexual intimacy as a result. Brenda was nearly raped when she was younger. Michael was clearly so drunk he did not remember if they had sex, he was remorseful and took the blame and Brenda let him. Michael’s biological father applauded him for sleeping with a supermodel. And everyone is wondering what will happen when Michael’s father (Brenda’s ex husband) Sonny finds out.

Brenda (l) lets Carly & her son think he slept with Brenda

It is not funny that Michael might have not been able to give his full consent to sex. It is not funny that he blames himself. It is not funny that Brenda is playing a headgame with him in order to take shots at his mother. And it is simply not funny that people are high-fiving the “kid” for banging a supermodel. Seriously? Not funny. Even if they didn’t have sex, Brenda’s actions are pretty atrocious – she should have tucked him to bed and been a responsible adult, not a petulant jerk.

So I posted something to this effect on a soap opera bulletin board. Almost no one agreed with me that this could potentially be a sexual assault storyline – ok, its an opinion so that’s fine. But a sample of the responses that went a bit further

1. Michael’s experience being raped in prison was a “real” rape – this was just drunken sex.

2. She’s a supermodel so he should be proud of himself.

3. Michael isn’t acting like someone who was raped. (I must stop here and point out that Michael is appalled with himself, fully believes he took advantage of Brenda and distraught at how his adoptive father Sonny is going to respond – not exactly a strutting rooster.)

4. Attitudes like mine are why men are falsely accused and women think its “alright” to cry wolf.

5. It is okay for Brenda to let Michael think they had sex because it is good for her storyline.

And a lot more. My personal favorite is the accusation that I hate Brenda, whom I might add is a fictional character on a television show.

I think soap operas are always going to be unrealistic and silly at the same time as they are prisms for social issues – but the increasing social attention to sexual assault suggests that it is time for daytime television to challenge more of these assumptions.

Many of the rape story lines involve strangers attacking women. (Michael is one of the few men to have been assaulted but it was also by a stranger in prison.) The shows weave good information in while the characters play out guilt, shame, stigma, fear, etc. Some story lines involve intimate partners (including GH’s Luke and Laura.) Sometimes there are PSA’s with hotline numbers and most of the time there is at least one terrific supporting character who says and does all of the right things. change-the-conversation-2

If we are going to change the conversation, we need our cultural beacons to do that same thing – the storyline of the ingenue being raped by a scary stranger in the park or a college boy in a bar are not the only stories worth telling. There’s always going to be a fantastical element to soap stories – Michael’s mob enforcer uncle killed his rapist, Elizabeth’s teen squad BFF’s teamed up to trap her rapist – but the shows need to embrace some consistency and realize the conflicting messages that they are sending.

Change the Conversation – older women allowing drunken younger relatives to think they had sex is not “hot” or okay or right. It is an abuse of her power and relationship to this young man, especially given his history. The shame is on her for playing games like this.

Change the Conversation – more people are raped when they are drunk with people they know than when they are walking through a dark park.

Change the Conversation – parents of adult children who discover their kid may have gotten so drunk that they had sex with someone they would otherwise NOT have sex with, need to focus on the important issue, not high-five them.

Change the Conversation – rape is not romance. Some day the character of Johnny DiMera is going to realize he was conceived when his father raped his mother (they are currently in a relationship) and the whole sordid history (she shot him, she hid another pregnancy, he kidnapped Johnny’s sister & let Johnny think she was dead, etc.) Now this is clearly not how real life plays out, but it goes to show how distorted this message can be – even in soapland, would you want to have this conversation with your teenager?

Change the Conversation – there is no “right” way to act after you are raped.

These are all messages soaps can tackle when they continue to explore sexual assault storylines. They can continue to challenge viewers’ expectations and assumptions and educate us on the realities – there’s plenty of drama in reality.

Click here to learn more on how to change the conversation.

Please consider donating to Pittsburgh Action Against Rape to help change the conversation.

Please share this content.

Buffer

Share on Tumblr

Sue to Guest on Mike Signorile Show Today (Monday)

If you have access to Sirius XM (and you can get trial access through the website) – I’ll be on the Michaelangelo Signorile show this afternoon at 4:30 PM.

Photo: MikeSignorile.coom

We’ll be discussing blogs, blocks, bans and Rick Santorum. See, it always comes back to him. Mike is also the editor-in-chief of HuffPost Gay Voices and asked me to submit a piece with an update on the situation.

This is all very exciting of course, but more than that – I was talking with the team at Change.Org and what has really touched me is that number of people who simply think access to LGBTQ information is important. They may never have read my blog or agree with me – but in principal, they feel strongly that in America, people deserve access to information. And that’s a powerful statement about the progress toward equality. And democracy!

Brief update – I’m receiving conflicting reports from various City employees about suddenly having access to my blog. It is possible this is another “blurp” as took place in February or it could be certain managers making individual decisions. I’m holding out for official confirmation of course. I just checked OpenDNS and nothing has changed with regard to the labels.

Please share this content.

Buffer

Share on Tumblr