OUT100 Honoree Pascal Tessier (pictured above, right) was one of the first openly gay scouts to earn the prestigious Eagle Scout ranking. "It's just really amazing, and it honestly hasn't really sunk in yet," Tessier told the Washington Post. "We didn't know if it was going to happen at all."
But Boy Scouts of America only accepts gay men under the age of 18, and with Tessier's 18th birthday quickly approaching this August, his future in the BSA is anything but secure. "It's kind of a backhanded acceptance: We accept you for now," Tessier said. "It says to you you're a monster of some sort."
Tessier deserves praise and admiration for speaking openly about his sexuality, especially within an organization that only half-heartedly condones it. Even though Tessier has proven to be an exemplary role model for youth and adults alike, it's possible the BSA will strip him of all rank by the summer.
Read more about Tessier here.
