Transgender Boy Kicked out of Cub Scouts 

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An 8-year-old boy from New Jersey was reportedly kicked out of the Cub Scouts for being transgender, according to an

extensive report by NorthJersey.com writer Abbott Koloff.

Transgender boy accepted by other Cub Scouts before Scouting officials said he could no longer belong. https://t.co/pjyCzCi3tz

Kristie Maldonado told NorthJersey.com that her son Joe had been a member of the Cub Scouts for a month before she got a call saying that he was no longer welcome in the pack because he did not meet the "membership standards." Joe was born female.

She claimed that some parents complained about having a trans child in the group, despite the fact that Joe had been identifying as male for more than a year at school. She claimed that it was clear from the beginning of Joe\'s time in the Cub Scouts that he is transgender, and that this was not a problem when he signed up for the group.

The Boy Scouts of America scrapped its ban on employing gay leaders and workers in 2015. Transgender issues appear to be another story for the organization.

"Earlier this year, the Boy Scouts told The Associated Press that it would admit transgender children to its coeducational programs but not to programs that are for boys only, like the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Yet transgender advocates said that the issue remained largely under the radar in Scouting."

Effie Delimarkos, the communications director for the Boy Scouts of America, told NorthJersey.com that no member will be removed based on sexual orientation and that gender identity is not related to sexual orientation:

“No youth may be removed from any of our programs on the basis of his or her sexual orientation. Gender identity isn’t related to sexual orientation.”

Boy Scouts of America says it defers to birth gender. This 8 yr old was kicked out of scouts bc transgender more tonight @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/CLOqvNkIAL

Delimarkos offered this statement to ATTN: via email:

"Recently, a family started the process of registering their child for Cub Scouting. During this process, it was brought to our attention that their child does not meet the eligibility requirements to participate in this program, so Boy Scouts of America (BSA) leadership reached out to the family to inform them and share information on alternative programs. For instance, the BSA also offers co-ed programs through Learning for Life, STEM Scouts (in markets where available) and Venturing, a program for young men and women ages 14-20.

"The BSA grants youth membership to Cub Scouts to boys in the first through fifth grades, or 7 to 10 years of age. If needed, we defer to the information provided for an individual’s birth certificate and their biological sex.

"Scouting teaches its youth members and adult leaders to be respectful of other people and individual beliefs.”

ATTN: has reached out to Maldonado for further comment and will update this piece if we hear back.

Trans activist Debi Jackson called out the Boy Scouts of America for not allowing trans children in the organization, while the Girl Scouts is inclusive of transgender children:

I\'d like to see the Boy Scouts take a cue from the Girl Scouts. Inclusion boosts kids\' confidence. There hasn\'t... https://t.co/ne1916lU3k

"Girl Scouts is proud to be the premiere leadership organization for girls in the country," the Girl Scouts\' website states. "Placement of transgender youth is handled on a case-by-case basis, with the welfare and best interests of the child and the members of the troop/group in question a top priority. That said, if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe."

Updated on December 27, 2016 at 7:48 p.m. PST: This piece was updated to include a statement from the Boy Scouts of America.