The young man who made national headlines last year for his speech before the Iowa House Judiciary Committee during a public hearing for a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage has brought his fight to Orlando. Zach Wahls delivered three boxes containing more than 275,000 signatures in support of a lesbian den leader to Boy Scout of America leaders. The group is in town for its annual convention.
After delivering the petition, Wahls, an Eagle Scout, met with scout officials about changing their policy toward gay scout leaders.
Deborah Tyrrell was a scout leader for her son's den in Ohio, before she was kicked out of her role in April because of her sexual orientation. The Boy Scouts’ policy prohibits gays from being adult leaders.
Scouts spokesman Deron Smith said there are no plans to change the policy but the group values freedom of expression.
Wahls told the Orlando Sentinel that he is hopeful the Scouts will change its stance against gay adult leaders, but added that he still supports the organization. He said dissent is sometimes the biggest way to show support and that change takes time.
“I really do fear that the Boy Scouts o America is risking its relevancy to this generation at a time when its moral leadership is needed most,” Wahls, 20, told the Sentinel. “I refuse to stand by idly as one of the great moral bedrocks of this country wastes away its political capital with a generation that vehemently disagrees with them on this issue.”
Wahls was raised by two women and both served as scout leaders in his home state of Iowa, he said.
