The 103-year-old ban has been overturned. It's a historic move that means big changes to one of the oldest youth organizations in this country.
While critics and supporters rallied outside, an historic vote was being cast inside.
The Boy Scouts of America's national council meeting in Texas lifts a ban on openly gay scouts.
Organizations for equality say this is a huge victory.
"We're very pleased that the BSA is finally parading in the right direction, [but there's a] long way to go to complete their task on this," said Mitchell Locin, Equality Illinois.
In a statement Thursday, the Boy Scouts of America said: "While people have different opinions about this policy we can all agree that kids are better off when they are scouting."
Former scout and merit badge counselor Art Ellingsen is also the son of a former Boy Scout president, has a former scout son and scout grandkids. Scouting runs in his family.
To Ellingsen, the lift on the ban goes against the Scouts' mission:
"Where do you think the word 'straight' came from in this society, when we say somebody's gay and somebody's straight? It came from the Scout oath that said straight," Ellingsen said.
Ellingsen said most scout units are sponsored by churches, and many of those churches may decide to stop sponsoring scout units.
"Our morals are based on the Judaic-Christian ethic of what is OK behavior," Ellingsen said.
The BSA'S national council says they hope people that disagree can still come together for the kids.
Locin believes this change is just the beginning.
"Those churches and religious organizations that don't want to accept, maybe this is a lesson that America is changing," said Locin.
The policy change will be in effect January 1, 2014.
The ban on gay adult leaders remains.
