Charity Watchlist Points to Disingenuity of Young Men’s Christian Association’s Title
Contact: Tom Ciesielka, TC Public Relations, 312.422.1333, tc@tcpr.net
(June 10, 2024 – Fredericksburg, Virginia) What’s in a name? In the case of the YMCA, American Life League is calling out the nonprofit for its disingenuity. Research published by American Life League’s Charity Watchlist highlights the incongruity between the name and the stated mission of the Young Men’s Christian Association and the 180-year-old organization’s current policies, programs, and June focus on “pride month.”
The mission of the YMCA, often called the “Y,” remains “to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.”
The Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in 1844 in London, England, by tradesman George Williams to offer refuge for youth seeking escape from the hazards of sleeping on the streets. According to the history, Williams “organized the first YMCA to substitute Bible study and prayer for life on the streets.”
Throughout the month of June, YMCAs across the United States coopt rainbow icons and promote events to celebrate “pride month.” The YMCA.org website declares, “Pride Month is traditionally recognized in June by communities across the U.S. to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, other dimensions of gender identity and allies) community and honor the history of the LBGTQ+ movement.”
American Life League president Judie Brown observed that “the Young Men’s Christian Association has become the antithesis of Christian teaching.”
Katherine Van Dyke, American Life League’s lead researcher on the Charity Watchlist project, concurred with Brown’s assessment.
“The YMCA’s actions and policies show that ‘to put Christian principles into practice’ is no longer a priority for the organization,” stated Van Dyke. “It would rather defend the deceitful transgender ideology to appease a small group of individuals than defend God’s purposeful design in creating the male and female person in His image and likeness. The organization also fails girls and women by subjecting them to both dangerous situations and taking away the privacy and respect they deserve by forcing them to share changing rooms with men, without apology or amendment to its policies.”
“The Charity Watchlist wants to highlight some of the more deceptive misunderstandings about nonprofit groups, such as the YMCA, and their positions on issues of life and family values,” added Van Dyke, “as well as affirm those organizations that are doing good and remaining true to practices and principles that affirm the sanctity of human life.”
Van Dyke offered some of the incidents that have earned the YMCA its negative—red “stop”—rating on the American Life League Charity Watchlist:
According to American Life League, the blame sits squarely on the YMCA’s radical policies and promotions that place “inclusivity” above all, even over the safety of women and children and prevention of sexual abuse:
- The Y’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and More Resource Network (Employee Resource Group) is written about by a male YMCA staff member who labels himself as a “queer-transgender woman.”
- Affirming LGBTQ+ Communities with Pride promotes events hosted and led by YMCA LGBTQ+ employee resource groups that are supported by YMCA of the USA’s national LGBTQ+ employee resource groups.
The YMCA’s support and promotion of non-biblical behaviors, including its embracing of LGBTQ+ lifestyles and transgenderism, along with its implied endorsement of abortion and Planned Parenthood, are in direct conflict with the organization’s stated mission built on “Christian principles.”
“The YMCA should take ‘Christian’ out of its name since the organization has made it clear it has no intention of upholding Christian values,” remarked American Life League national director Katie Brown. “The YMCA has shown that, in the name of nonsensical equality, it would rather protect grown men who want to disrobe in front of young girls. Long gone are the days of trusting the YMCA for your swim lessons and basketball camps. We need to call out this behavior for what it is. The YMCA is protecting child predators and making them its new priority, not your children and certainly not Christian values.”
Judie Brown added, “While as Christians we pray for those misled by the so-called LGBTQ community, we do not elevate them in the eyes of others, but the YMCA has done exactly that. Shame on them!”
American Life League’s Charity Watchlist is an online tool currently profiling 125 tax-exempt nonprofits. The list uses simple stoplight green-yellow-red color coding to allow donors to know if they “go ahead” and donate to a green-coded nonprofit without reservations, “proceed with caution” after being fully informed of the potential risks at an organization assigned yellow, or “stop” any support of an organization that is designated as red because of its endorsement of abortion and other practices that conflict with life-affirming principles or are disingenuous in their messaging.
About American Life League
American Life League has been part of the pro-life abortion debate since its inception. Since 1979, American Life League has committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death with a pro-life integrity that stands up for every innocent human being whose life is threatened by the culture of death. For more information visit all.org.