What might seem like a small administrative change sends a powerful message of inclusion at a time when transgender people are having to fight in courts, legislatures and schools for basic rights and dignity.

The ban on gay men and youths in Boy Scout programs was insidious, because it implicitly conveyed that gay men mentoring young boys could represent a danger. People supporting the ban also groundlessly argued that gay troop leaders could promote homosexuality.

The exclusion of transgender boys had a similarly pernicious effect. Being barred from spaces and organizations for an immutable trait such as gender identity can be painful, particularly when the exclusion occurs during formative years. Such policies are predicated on outdated and harmful notions that transgender people pose a risk or that their gender identity is nothing more than a passing caprice.

The Boy Scouts are recognizing transgender boys for what they genuinely are: boys. This extends the organization’s values and programs to a wider pool. It also may help a new generation of Americans think more rationally and compassionately about gender identity.