SOUTHAMPTON PRESS - FRONT PAGE

Pols, Educators and NOW-NYC Have Spoken Up in Support of Sydney Ireland Earning the Eagle Rank and Against Ongoing Boy Scout Gender Discrimination

Boy Scouts and its President, former CEO of Ernst & Young and the women’s empowerment organization, Catalyst.Org, Jim Turley promote policies of gender discrimination, banning young women from earning the Eagle rank for the next year while encouraging male Scouts to earn the same Eagle rank without delay.

Sydney Ireland completed the requirements to earn the Boy Scout Eagle rank and requested the final interview, called a Board of Review. According to Boy Scout rules: “When a Scout believes that all the requirements for a rank have been completed...a board of review must be granted.” Despite clear rules on it website, the Boy Scouts refuses to allow Sydney and other deserving young women to sit for a Board of Reivew or receive the Eagle rank.

Contrary to inspiring words Mr. Turley spoke while at Ernst & Young and Catalyst, the policy he now promotes in the Boy Scouts hurts Sydney and other young women. During this discriminatory time period, qualified young women like Sydney cannot put “Eagle Scout” on their college applications or resumes. Female Scouts, ineligible for the Eagle rank only because of their gender, are similarly ineligible for scholarships only available to Eagle Scouts. To be clear, female Scouts are denied access to scholarships - money for college - available to male Scouts.

President Turley, please speak out and end gender discrimination and cyberbullying in the Boy Scouts so that young women will have equal access to all opportunities in Scouting, including earning and receiving the Eagle rank.

#ScoutHerIn #BSADiscriminationHurts #NOW_NYC #equality #girlpower #CatalystForChange