Iowa City native Wahls urges Boy Scouts to rethink gay ban

Iowa City native Zach Wahls has collected more than half the signatures he's seeking to allow board members of the Boy Scouts of America to vote on a resolution to allow openly gay scouts and leaders to participate in the organization.

Wahls -- whose personal testimony in support of marriage equality went viral last year -- delivered a petition with 300,000 signatures to the program's annual convention last month. Though a resolution was introduced to allow gay scouts and leaders to participate in the program a few days later, the Boy Scouts of America decided to maintain the policy.

A press release from the Boy Scouts of America said the decision came after a two-year-long examination of the policy, conducted by a special committee of volunteers and professional leaders from people inside and outside of the organization.

Following the decision, the executive committee of the program released a statement that said though not all members agreed on the policy, they felt upholding the policy was in the best interest of the organization.

“Scouting believes that good people can personally disagree on this topic and still work together to achieve the life-changing benefits to youth through Scouting," the release said. "While not all Board members may personally agree with this policy, and may choose a different direction for their own organizations, BSA leadership agrees this is the best policy for the organization and supports it for the BSA.”

As of Sunday, July 22, Wahls had collected over 117,000 of the 150,000 signatures he is seeking. The petition indicates the decision was made by a secret committee, and those who sign are calling for the executive committee of the Boy Scouts of America to vote on the resolution in May 2013.

"Above all, what's most disappointing is the secretive natures surrounding how this 'decision' was reached," Wahls says in the petition. "The very first value of the Scout Law is that a Scout is trustworthy. There is absolutely nothing trustworthy about unelected and unnamed committee members who are unwilling to take responsibility for their actions."

In the petition, Wahls says he is calling for the organization to be more transparent and accountable for their decision.

Teaming up with One Iowa, the former University of Iowa student also plans to go on a

tour across Iowa in August to speak about marriage equality.