Community Corner

News Nearby: Kensington Youth Became Symbol for Gay Equality in Boy Scouts

Pascal Tessier: 'There's so much more to do,' after ban on gay scouts was lifted.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School junior Pascal Tessier, a Kensington resident, previously told The Washington Post he would be "devastated" if he were not allowed to earn Eagle Scout status because of his sexuality.

Now, Tessier will get that chance.

The Boy Scouts of America this week ended a ban on openly gay youth but left intact a prohibition against openly gay troop leaders.

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Tessier, 16, who is openly gay, became one of the faces of those involved in the debate over the decades-old ban.

He told CBS News This Morning it was time that the Boy Scouts lifted the ban.

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"Simply because you've been teaching something for a long amount of time doesn't mean it's right," he said.

He said he was glad he would still be able to call himself a Boy Scout and become an Eagle Scout, but he said he would remain an activist on the issue.

"There's so much more to do," he told CBS News. "I'm not stopping. That's for sure."

President Obama and gay rights groups nationwide supported lifting the ban and the Tessier family spoke against the ban in an earlier video interview with the BBC.

Tessier was a leader in a recent demonstration organized by B-CC's Gay Straight Alliance.

He told the Post his experience as a Scout has been life-changing and he "wouldn’t be the person I am today without the Boy Scouts."

The National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts issued this statement after Thursday's decision:

It was announced today that the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) National Board has approved a new policy that removes the restrictions barring youth from becoming members on the basis of their sexuality.

This decision comes following an extensive listening campaign that gathered input from members, non-members and key community organizations across the nation.

According to Les Baron, Scout Executive and CEO of National Capital Area Council (NCAC), leaders in the DC-metro area will be examining this decision carefully over the next few months to determine its impact on the local program.

“We support the national board’s decision. We recognize that some of our members will be disappointed with (today’s) outcome, but I believe a good partnership does not require full agreement on every societal issue.” “What’s most important though,” says Baron, “is that we can now devote our full attention to providing a great program that helps young people be prepared for life.”

For more on the ban and Tessier's comments, view the accompanying CBS News video.


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