var addthis_config = {“data_track_addressbar”:true};Zach Wahls has finally convinced United Parcel Service (UPS) to drop their funding of the Boy Scouts of America, after his Change.org petition drew over 80,000 signatures. Wahls is the straight LGBT activist whose amazing speech to his fellow Iowans in support of marriage equality last year, followed by tours across the nation and publication of a book, My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family, has made him a highly-reespected ally. Wahls has
“The UPS Foundation today joined a growing number of corporate leaders in providing financial support to those organizations that align with the company’s non-discrimination policy,” GLAAD announced today:
Under this policy, the Boy Scouts of America is no longer eligible for grants from the UPS Foundation because of the BSA’s ban on gay scouts and scout leaders.
The UPS Foundation posted the following on its site:
The UPS Foundation seeks to support organizations that are in alignment with our focus areas, guidelines, and non-discrimination policy. UPS and The UPS Foundation do not discriminate against any person or organization with regard to categories protected by applicable law, as well as other categories protected by UPS and The UPS Foundation in our own policies. These include, but are not limited to race, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, pregnancy, age and religion.
UPS confirmed to GLAAD that under these guidelines, which UPS said have been in development for several months, organizations that are unable to attest to having a policy or practices that align with the Foundation’s non-discrimination policy will no longer be considered eligible for funding. Prior to The UPS Foundation’s non-discrimination language, UPS gave $167,000 to various Boy Scouts of America entities in 2010 and said there would not be a change to grant-making at that time according to an American Independent report in September 2012. UPS has consistently received high marks on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index, an annual survey that rates U.S. corporations on their non-discrimination policies and practices toward LGBT employees and consumers.
In May, Wahls delivered petitions with over 275,000 signatures supporting “Jennifer Carol from Bridgeport, Ohio, who was forced to resign as a den mother because she is a lesbian.” The following month, Wahls created Scouts for Equality.
In September, the Boy Scouts lost their largest corporate donor, Intel, over their insistence to exclude — and even expel — from their ranks any gay man, teen, or boy.
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