Morally Straight

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I turned over the hosting chair to Sam Aronson, a friend and leader of Scouting's recent LGBTQ+ programming at national events. Sam interviewed me about my forthcoming book, "Morally Straight," which will be out June 4 and is now available for pre-order . Why it matters:  I spent more than 5 years bringing this book to life. I discover...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Greg Bourke. He's a Scouter from Louisville who played an important role advocating for the inclusion of gay adults in the BSA. He’s also the author of the an excellent book, “⁠Gay, Catholic, and American: My Legal Battle for Marriage Equality and Inclusion,⁠” where he recounts both his activism in the BSA and historic role as one...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to  Justin Bickford . Bickford is an Eagle Scout and Scouter from Florida who became an early and key volunteer with Scouts for Equality in 2012. Why it matters:  Bickford poured countless hours into SFE during the early days. He helped the organization get off the ground and manage its communications, and was in the room when the BSA vo...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Pascal Tessier . During a whirlwind few years of his teenage life, Tessier became a key spokesman for gay inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America. Why it matters: Despite coming from a inclusive troop in the Washington, D.C., area, Tessier partnered with Scouts for Equality to advocate for an end to the BSA’s ban on gay youth in 2013....

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Cheryl Katon . She grew up in Scouting in the 1970s and 80s, and went on to spend her entire career working for the BSA. Why it matters: Katon wasn’t just any Scouting professional. In every council where she worked, she was an outspoken advocate for queer and, especially, trans people like herself. By the time she changed careers in...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Brian Knappenberger , the director of the recent Netflix documentary “Scouts Honor,” which tells the story of the Boy Scouts of America's decadeslong cover-up of sexual abuse cases. We talked about the BSA’s many failures in leadership on this issue, and how the organization’s decision to ban LGBTQ+ members was not only a distraction—...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Alison Batey. Even if you don’t think you know Batey, you surely are familiar with her work. She’s the founder of the LGBTQ+ Scouts and Allies group on Facebook , a 2,000-member community dedicated to making Scouting a better place for queer and trans kids. But that’s not all Batey did during her time working for the Boy Scouts of Ame...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I talked to Ry Andresen , whose story of being denied the eagle scout rank lit up headlines (and TV screens) around the country during the campaign for gay inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America. We talked about how Andresen got involved with Scouting, their experience with bullying in the program, and what motivated them to become an activist for i...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Sam Aronson, a good friend of mine, and a Scouting volunteer who has now led the creation of LGBTQ+ affinity spaces at three national events, most recently at this summer’s National Jamboree.  We talked about what Sam saw during his two weeks at the event, how scouts interacted with the space, and what the work meant to Sam personally...

In this episode of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Cate Readling and Mary Anderson, two scouters and moms from Chicago. We talked about what inspired them to get involved in the campaign for gay inclusion, and how their Scouts for Equality chapter in Chicago became a model for organizing across the country. P.S. If you’d rather get these episodes directly in your podcast feed, you can...

In episode three of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Mark Anthony Dingbaum , who worked alongside Mike Jones ( last month’s podcast guest ) to leverage a Change.org petition into a national movement. We talked about how Dingbaum helped create an organizing strategy that became Scouts for Equality, and continued to support the campaign—through petition deliveries, power mapping and coal...

In episode two of the Morally Straight Podcast, I’m talking to Mike Jones, who was one of the key campaign strategists behind the final push for gay inclusion in the BSA. We talked about how he spotted Jennifer Tyrrell’s early Change.org petition and helped grow it into a national movement—creating a campaign that he still sees as the gold standard for LGBTQ+ organizing in the digital age. Get ful...

Welcome to the new Morally Straight Podcast. I’ll be using these episodes to bring you closer to some of the key people who have fought for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America. In the years I’ve spent writing this newsletter and reporting my book , I’ve had the privilege of speaking with an wide array of scouters, teenagers, parents, activists, and everyday Americans who worked toward a...