Lockheed Martin Ends Donations To Boy Scouts Over Ban On Gay Leaders

“We were pleased to see the organization revise its membership policy, but feel the continued ban on gay leadership conflicts with our corporation’s values,” a company spokesman said.

Staff / Reuters

Lockheed Martin is cutting donations to the Boy Scouts of America in protest of its policy banning out gay and lesbian scout leaders, the aerospace and defense giant announced Thursday.

The move comes after "a careful review" of the company's giving to non-profit organizations, which found that Boy Scouts of America does not align with its commitment to diversity, Lockheed Martin spokesman Gordon Johndroe told BuzzFeed.

"Lockheed Martin is committed to building strong partnerships with non-profit organizations that value diversity and align with our policies," Johndroe said. "While we applaud the mission of the Boy Scouts and the good things they do in our communities, their policies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and religious affiliation conflict with Lockheed Martin policies."

However, Johndroe would not say how much Lockheed Martin has donated to the Boy Scouts in recent years, or if it might reconsider the decision. Boy Scouts of America could not provide exact donation amounts when asked by BuzzFeed Thursday, but thanked Lockheed Martin for its support in a statement.

"While not a national sponsor, Lockheed Martin has positively impacted America's youth through its support of Scouting in local communities and we are grateful for that support," said Boy Scouts spokesman Deron Smith. "We respect the company's right to express its own opinion and appreciate its recognition that Scouting is a valuable organization. Scouting believes that good people can personally disagree on this topic and still work together to accomplish the common good."

In July, the Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts reaffirmed its ban on out gay leaders, but dropped its ban on recruiting gay scouts. When asked for details on this policy change, Smith said, "No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone."

"While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA," Smith said.

This policy, specifically, led Lockheed Martin to drop its support.

"We were pleased to see the organization revise its membership policy, but feel the continued ban on gay leadership conflicts with our Corporation's values," Johndroe said. "We're taking a close look at all non-profit organizations we support to ensure they align with our company's core values."

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