The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Ex-scout opens closet door

While serving as an assistant scoutmaster in 1990, Dale was dismissed from the Boy Scouts for being a homosexual.

“I couldn’t live with the organization I had put much effort and time into discriminating (against me),” he said.

He sued the Boy Scouts for discrimination, and the case eventually went to the Supreme Court, where he lost by a 5-4 vote. Although he lost the case, he continued to press for the Boy Scouts, which he said was “like a family to (him),” to be open to homosexuals. He now speaks out in favor of gay rights.

“What I do now is a continuation of what I learned in the Scouts,” he said.

Story continues below advertisement

He believes that the tide is turning in favor of gay rights.

“We’ve come a really far way, but we’re just not there yet. I tend to believe that the change our country sees is more long-lasting,” he said, referring to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a homosexual, in Wyoming as a catalyst for some of the change in public opinion.

Dale also offered support and advice to those struggling with their homosexuality.

“While being gay isn’t easy, coming out has made me a richer person,” he said. “Coming out is about coming of age. Still, while you will have support of many people, you still have to rely on yourself.”

GSA President Michael Maloney said that Dale’s speech was a success.

“(Dale’s speech) was educational, and the issues deserve more discussion,” Maloney said. “Our society is getting better, and I think it will continue to get better, slowly.”

Other members of the audience agreed.

“I think that it was very important to bring a speaker like (Dale) onto campus to show that discrimination still exists, since a lot of people seem to be under the false assumption that (more) things are accepted now, and that’s not necessarily true,” said freshman Jessica Cushion, a GSA member. “It was surprising to me (to have Dale on campus), but it was more of an educational experience than anything else.”

Senior Frank Cheers said he was surprised by the speech.

“I thought that it was a very interesting and great way to kick off Coming Out Week,” Cheers said. “It was interesting, especially in light of (recent controversy) taking place in the Marquette Tribune. He brought up a lot of those issues. It was surprising that he brought up the discussion of HIV prevention, because I think that that is a dialogue we don’t have on this campus.”

Dale said he was happy to be at Marquette, which is only the second Catholic college where he has spoken.

“I love doing National Coming Out Day events, and I was really happy to speak at a Catholic university and see the diversity of perspective and opinion,” he said.