Boy Scouts welcome first transgender member
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A New Jersey boy has become the first openly transgender member of the Boy Scouts.
The Record reports (http://bit.ly/2lqlgPh ) 9-year-old Joe Maldonado put on a Cub Scout uniform and joined Pack 20 in Essex County on Tuesday following a decision by Boy Scouts of America to allow transgender scouts. Maldonado, who was born a girl, was banned from a Cub Scout group in Secaucus.
He said it was fun and he was proud because he was accepted.
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The Boy Scouts changed their policy of referring to the gender on birth certificates to determine eligibility last week after Maldonado's story gained national attention.
The organization released a statement welcoming the Maldonado family. Previously, the Boy Scouts overturned bans against gay scouts and scouting leaders.
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Information from: The Record (Woodland Park, N.J.), http://www.northjersey.com