115-Year-Old Boy Scouts of America Ditches Name to Be More ‘Gender-Neutral’

The 115-year-old organization known as the Boy Scouts of America has officially changed its name to be more “gender neutral.”

The official change happened on Saturday and the organization is now called Scouting America, according to Fox News.

In 2013, the organization began allowing gay young people to join and later ended a ban on gay adult leaders, the article continued:

President and CEO Roger Krone told the Associated Press there was “some backlash,” but said there was a small spike in membership after announcing the rebranding in May.

“The fact that we were going with a more kind of gender-neutral name, a lot of people kind of wanted to know more about it,” Krone told the AP.

In recent years, the organization also grappled with bankruptcy and the biggest child sex abuse case involving a national group in America’s history, USA Today reported Saturday.

The updated name is now featured on the organization’s website. Under its “Diversity” point, the site reads, “The BSA promotes a culture where youth, volunteers, and employees feel a sense of belonging — where every person feels respected and valued.”

In May, NBC Bay Area reported the organization allowed girls to join several years prior and featured one young woman who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout when she was 14:

Reverend Franklin Graham in 2017 urged all churches to end their association with the Boy Scouts after the Mormon church removed its teen boys from the organization, according to Breitbart News.

“Churches should always stand with teachings that align with the Word of God. Two years ago the Boy Scouts of America voted to allow gay leaders and then this year began to allow members based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex, opening the door to transgender members,” he wrote in a social media post.

“I think the Mormon Church — and all churches — should pull out of the Boy Scouts organization completely. They need to get their younger boys out as well. I would not want my child or grandchild to be influenced by the lifestyle of a gay Scout Leader that goes against God’s design for creation,” he added.