Carly Rae Jepsen announced on her Twitter Monday that she would be joining Train in stepping down from her headlining spot at the National Scout Jamboree this year, due to the gay Scout member and Scout leader ban the Boy Scouts of America have in place and are currently debating.
As an artist who believes in equality for all people, I will not be participating in the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree this summer...
— Carly Rae Jepsen (@carlyraejepsen) March 5, 2013
I always have and will continue to support the LGBT community on a global level ...
— Carly Rae Jepsen (@carlyraejepsen) March 5, 2013
and stay informed on the ever-changing landscape in the ongoing battle for gay rights in this country and across the globe.
— Carly Rae Jepsen (@carlyraejepsen) March 5, 2013
The urge for these two acts to pull out of the Jamboree, which will take place in West Virginia on July 15-24, was a result of a petition started by Eagle Scout Derek Nance on Change.org.
"After serving 10 years as a Boy Scout camp leader, I decided I couldn't lie about who I was any longer and came out as gay. Now, because of the Boy Scouts of America's hurtful anti-gay policy I'm no longer allowed to be part of an organization that has been an instrumental part of my life," said Nance in the petition.
