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Boy Scouts reverse ban Transgender children can join

DALLAS — A New Jersey woman whose son was asked to leave his Boy Scouts troop after leaders found out he’s transgender said she has mixed emotions after the organization announced it will allow transgender children who identify as boys to enroll in its boys-only programs.

The Boy Scouts of America made the announcement Monday.

The organization said it made the decision to begin basing enrollment in its boys-only programs on the gender a child or parent lists on the application to become a scout. The Boy Scouts had previously held a policy that relied on the gender listed on a child’s birth certificate for those programs.

The organization’s leadership considered Joe Maldonado’s case in Secaucus, New Jersey. The 8-year-old had been asked to leave his Scout troop after parents and leaders found out he is transgender. But the statement issued Monday said the change was made because of the larger conversation about gender identity going on around the country.

“For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-gender programs,” the statement said. “However, that approach is no longer sufficient as communities and state laws are interpreting gender identity differently, and these laws vary widely from state to state.”

Kristie Maldonado, Joe’s mother, said she had mixed emotions Monday night when a Boy Scouts representative called to tell her the organization would allow her son to re-enroll in his troop after he was asked to leave last fall. Maldonado said she would like her son to rejoin the Secaucus troop, but only if the scout leader who made the previous decision leaves.

She said Joe, who will turn 9 on Wednesday, has spoken publicly about the incident. She called him a “ham” and noted he had a big birthday party on Saturday with the mayor of Secaucus in attendance.

“I’m so grateful. I really am that they’re accepting and that there won’t be any issues. They (other transgender youth) won’t have to go through what my son went through,” Maldonado said when reached by phone Monday. “It’s a big change for everybody that all are accepted now ... I’m so delighted that they finally called and they did say this, but I’m still angry.”

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