While Nate Quinn grew up selling Girl Scout cookies, he dreamed of being a Boy Scout instead.
“I didn’t feel exactly the same as all the girls in the group, obviously because that was not my gender,” the 18-year-old UF psychology freshman said.
On Monday, Boy Scouts of America announced that transgender boys will now get to join the group. The national organization will now refer to the gender listed on the children’s applications, instead of the one on their birth certificates, according to a statement released by Jack Sears, the Boy Scouts of America North Florida Council CEO.
Quinn said he was in first grade when his parents made him wear dresses and signed him up to be a Girl Scout. He never fully fit in with the girls and knew he wanted to be a Boy Scout instead.
He didn’t hear the word “transgender” until he was 15 years old. He came out as a boy about a year later.
“We don’t actually give kids enough credit for what they know,” Quinn said. “We shove every kid into a box of girl or boy and don’t really ask them how they feel.”
Drew Baker, an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts, said he’s in favor of the new policy, because it’s not the organization’s place to dictate children’s genders.
Baker, who graduated from UF in Spring 2016 with a degree in economics, said if this policy was enacted when he was a Boy Scout, it would have led to discussions and acceptance between his troop’s members.
“It would’ve just further led to dialogue and conversation about how we could be a very inclusive organization,” he said.
Moving forward, Baker said he would like to see the Boy Scouts get involved in more social justice advocacy.
“There are a lot of benefits to scouting that I wouldn’t want to rob of anybody,” the 22-year-old said.
Terry Fleming, the co-president of Pride Community Center in North Central Florida, said the new policy will help children affirm their genders.
“We are excited that the Boy Scouts have made this great step forward,” Fleming said. “It’s incredibly important for the folks here in question.”
When Quinn first heard of policy change, he was excited to see how troops grow to take in transgender members.
“I think it’s a great move on their part,” Quinn said. “Being inclusive should be the goal of every organization because leaving people out doesn’t really help you in any way.”
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