Train Won't Play At Boy Scouts Jamboree Unless BSA Lifts Ban On Gay Scouts, Band Says

Train Boycotts Boy Scouts Performance Until BSA Lifts Gay Ban

Train has taken a very public stand against the Boy Scouts of America's longstanding ban on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community by boycotting an upcoming performance.

In November, Scouting Magazine announced that the Grammy-winning band would be headlining the closing stadium show at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree in July along with "Call Me Maybe" sensation Carly Rae Jepsen.

But a campaign to get both performers to denounce the Boy Scouts' anti-gay policies picked up steam on March 1, when GLAAD announced it had signed on to support gay Eagle Scout Derek Nance's Change.org petition, which states:

I was surprised to see that both Carly Rae and Train would be headlining the National Scout Jamboree this July, but hadn't yet spoken out against the Boy Scouts' policy banning gay youth and parents. As a talented artists with incredibly loyal LGBT fans around the globe, I hope they will speak out quickly, and urge the Boy Scouts to end its dangerous anti-gay policy ...

Projected attendance for the 2013 National Scouting Jamboree is over 50,000 Boy Scouts, Venturers, volunteers and staff. Among those 50,000 are countless LGBT young people who are forced to hide who they really are, in fear of being kicked out of the organization they love. This has to change.

A few hours after GLAAD signed the petition, Train posted a statement on their website saying the band will not perform at the Jamboree if the Boy Scouts do not change its policies before the summer, Queerty notes.

The San Francisco-based group, whose hits include “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me),” and “Hey, Soul Sister” published the following on its website Friday evening:

When we booked this show for the Boy Scouts of America we were not aware of any policy barring openly gay people from participation within the organization. Train strongly opposes any kind of policy that questions the equality of any American citizen. We have always seen the BSA as a great and noble organization. We look forward to participating in the Jamboree this summer, as long as they make the right decision before then.

Though Jepsen has not yet responded to the campaign, she has made gay-friendly comments in the past.

In May, the singer told Time magazine she has always supported gay marriage and, thus, she didn't think twice about her director's "gay twist" at the end of the "Call Me Maybe" music video.

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