On Tuesday, after a two-year review, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) “emphatically reaffirmed” its current ban on “open or avowed homosexuals”—a restriction that applies not only to Scout leaders, but to Scouts as well.

The Boy Scouts’ position on gays is patently out of line with its goal of mentoring young men and raising strong citizens. The organization rightly prides itself on serving at-risk youth, but it is missing a valuable opportunity to support vulnerable LGBT kids, who disproportionately suffer from depression, commit suicide, abuse drugs, and face harassment from peers at school. Instead of providing guidance and strong role models for those most in need, the BSA has chosen to further ostracize gay youth.