Disney cuts Boy Scouts of America funding over gay ban

Disney has cut all funding to the Boy Scouts of America because the 104-year-old organisation imposes a ban on openly gay troop leaders.

A representative for Walt Disney World in Florida told Orlando-based WESH 2 News that the Mouse House does not support organisations that discriminate. Disney did not disclose how much money it has given to the Boy Scouts of America in the past.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the largest youth organisations in the world with around 2.7 million youth members and 1 million adult members. The BSA prohibits “open and avowed” gay and lesbian adults from participating in the organisation.

When contacted by WESH 2 News, a BSA spokesperson released the following statement: “While Disney does not provide support to the national council or directly to local councils of the BSA, they did occasionally provide small grants to local Scout troops and packs through an employee program that recognized the volunteer service hours of its employees.

“We believe every child deserves the opportunity to be a part of the Scouting experience and we are disappointed in this decision because it will impact our ability to serve kids. America’s youth need Scouting, and by continuing to focus on the goals that unite us we continue to accomplish incredible things for young people and the communities we serve.”

In January of this year (2014), the Disney Channel featured the first gay characters in its 31-year history – read the full story here.