‘Good progress’ on diversity and inclusion, says BYM
‘I think we need to just be brave and to continue to engage with what are often difficult conversations.' (Edwina Peart)
Edwina Peart, Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM)’s diversity and inclusion coordinator, has said that the Quaker community has made ‘good progress’.
Speaking to the Friend, she said: ‘I think that we’ve always been ahead of the curve in terms of same-sex marriage, and sexuality. I think that we were behind other faith organisations in terms of race and that has shifted, and I think that the other thing that we’re not exactly forging ahead with, but grappling with, is transgender inclusion, and I think we’ve made good progress.’
When asked how Friends can build on this progress, she said: ‘I think we need to just be brave and to continue to engage with what are often difficult conversations, and become more resilient, in having them and bringing to bear Quaker strengths: our processes and practices, our testimonies, and our way of witnessing in the world.’
Edwina Peart and Mark Russ, programmes coordinator for Worship and Spirituality at Woodbrooke, are hosting a retreat in this area later in the month.
The day builds on the Diversity and Inclusion Gatherings held at Woodbrooke in 2019 and 2020 for Quakers involved in equity, justice, power and privilege work.
The retreat on 10 September is hoped to be ‘a day of refreshment for Quakers working on diversity and inclusion in their local Quaker communities’. Guest speakers include Robert Beckford, an activist and scholar who was recently appointed director of the Institute of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester.
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