Boy Scouts Of America's Name Change Signals New Era For Organization

The Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts of America announced on Tuesday, May 7 it's officially changing the organization's name for the first time in 114 years.

The announcement was made in Florida at the annual meeting, according to a story from KHOU 11. The official change is said to have been finally inspired after the organization had been struggling through bankruptcy that followed reports of sexual abuse.

In addition, over the past several years, decades even, we've read the Boy Scouts of America has been navigating the cultural waters and is now seeking to be more inclusive regarding those who may be a part of the group to attract more members.

Over the past several years, the Boy Scouts of America began to welcome gay youth in 2013 and girls were no longer barred as of 2017.

Get our free mobile app

Before the official announcement was made at its annual meeting in Florida, Roger Krone, the new president and CEO of the Boy Scouts said:

'In the next 100 years, we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs.'

KHOU 11 reports the organization began allowing gay youth in 2013 and ended a blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015. In 2017, it made the historic announcement that girls would be accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program — renamed Scouts BSA — in 2019.'

While some were concerned about how allowing gay youth and girls into the organization, it seems the concerns have settled for many, at least according to some troop leaders.