The Boy Scouts apparently don’t like gay people or fat people.
Ok, so that’s a little harsh, but it surely appears that way. The Boy Scouts of America are instilling new weight requirements for volunteers who accompany the boys on adventure trips.
Too Fat for the Boy Scouts? New Weight Requirements Anger SomeNew Requirements Ban Longtime Volunteers From Scouting Events
Given that such adventure trips can be strenuous, especially on those who are not physically fit, I can understand that the Boy Scouts would need to ensure that those volunteers do not become a liability.
The Boy Scouts of America’s solution to this problem is to simply ban those that are too fat.
My question: How is this not discrimination?
Discouraging a volunteer who happens to be overweight/obese is not good publicity for the Boy Scouts. Promoting a healthy lifestyle and physical activity is one of the great things about youth organizations. If a volunteer is ‘high risk’, then they should be asked to sign a waiver that acknowledges that risk. Banning someone who desperately NEEDS the physical activity is not the right solution. Promoting safe activity, IS.
Do not tell a volunteer he can’t attend a trip with his son because he’s too fat!
That’s awful, if weight is a concern maybe an overweight volunteer can help with something else instead of a strenuous activity. I totally agree with you:
“If a volunteer is ‘high risk’, then they should be asked to sign a waiver that acknowledges that risk. Banning someone who desperately NEEDS the physical activity is not the right solution. Promoting safe activity, IS.”
Right, they could definitely seek ‘lighter’ volunteer opportunities. However, I’m sure the adventure trips are fun, and say you had a son and would like to go along….you couldn’t. I guess it would serve at a good motivation to lose the pounds, but just because someone is bigger, doesn’t always necessarily mean they are completely unfit. I’m borderline overweight/obese, but I can run an 8K! I think they really need to focus on encouraging all of the scouting families/volunteers to be healthy and ACTIVE. Obesity is rising, and there will be more volunteers affected by the weight restrictions down the road.
Ok, enough ranting. lol