Every so often on this blog I used to do updates on where I
saw the land lying with regard to the LGBT+ Christian world. It was something I
stopped doing because it no longer seemed relevant. LGBT+ Christianity has
become much more visible and “mainstream”. I realise that perhaps I had gotten
tired with it all, but I am aware we seem to be going into a change of season
again, where things which have been growing over time are now coming into bloom.
We are also at a time when that new fruit is leading to hard decisions about
should some stuff be pruned.
Firstly the stuff coming into bloom. Peterson Toscano is a
performance artist many of you will be aware of. He is a Quaker queer
environmentalist. Over the years many of his shows have dealt with issues
related to sexuality and gender but he has always been a strong
environmentalist and increasingly that has influenced his work. This summer and
autumn he is coming back to the UK. In addition to being at Greenbelt and he
and Ruth Wilde of Christian Peacemaker Teams are going on tour with Everything Is Connected.
Then there are a couple of new autobiographical books
coming out from Vicky Beeching and Jane Ozanne. Beeching’s Undivided is out on
June 14th and Ozanne’s Just Love 2nd July. These women
are ones who have expert knowledge on how to engage with the media and so I won’t
be at all surprised if they make a splash outside the usual circles. Vicky will
also be appearing at Greenbelt alongside acts including Pussy Riot, Carol Ann
Duffy, We Are Scientists, Michael Eavis, Broderick Geer and Jack Monroe.
Another area of bloom are texts looking to support churches engaging with Trans
Christians. The first of these is an excellent book Transfaith: A Transgender
Pastoral Resource by Christina Beardsley, Chris Dowd and Justin Tanis. This is
the one I would most strongly recommend if you want to get hold of a resource
to support you. It is based on many years experience, research and work in this
area. A shorter resource which may also be useful is The Gender Agenda from
Steve Chalke and Oasis.
With regard to the campaigning and pastoral care side of
things there seems to be a much broader base of support - which is excellent.
But the fact is there are still lots of LGBT+ people, particularly young LGBT+ people
struggling with the fact they are being told/ or are getting the impression
through silence on the subject it’s wrong to be who they are.
The reasons for this include the fact that beyond the new
blooming and apparent openness, many of the old battles continue and new ones
emerge. Since last time I wrote on this topic, almost a year ago trans people
become more visible and that brings with it both positives and negatives for
these groups to engage in. The positives the recognition of their existence and
the need for specific liturgies and policies and resources such as those
mentioned above. The negatives, once apparent invisibility disappears, the
amount of vitriol being directed by those who previously ignored increases and
this demands these groups respond.
Those giving the alternative interpretations of the bible,
which they usually argue is “the truth” and “the word of God” rather than one
interpretation of bible, which is the word of God are getting more professional
and organised. Ironically their campaigning against trans inclusion bringing
them into informal coalition with trans excluding radical feminists in lobbying
against changes to the Gender Recognition Act.
This increased professionalization is leading to the need
for an equally professional response from the LGBT+ organisations as in the
ongoing debates within the church continue. In the Methodist Church this has
led to the formation of Dignity and Worth, an excellent membership based
organisation which is seeking to change the dialogue from being adversarial to
being something which will enable the church to move forward in a way which
will allow and celebrate affirmation but also not seek to exclude those of
differing opinion.
This new environment is drawing many of the older
organisations to a point of asking hard questions, as with Outcome the older
Methodist LGBT+ group. The key question they will be addressing at their Day by Day annual public meeting in Coventry on 19th May is what is their
future. Are they, as with Affirm the Baptist LGBT+ group and One Body One Faith going to be able to draw in new life and move forward in a fresh way or is it
time to say we hand over the batten to others? * Note: It appears the Outcome general meeting is not now happening on that date, but the question still remains to be addressed.
Whatever happens though we must not forget the debt we owe
to those who have led and supported Outcome and other LGBT+ Christian
organisations over the years. These are the people who often lived before the
decriminalisation of homosexuality and fought the hard battles that mean life
is so different for many of us now. These are the people who in the Methodist
Church took the motions to conference and argued the case for affirmation and
inclusion.
