Meeting for Sufferings: Gender diversity
Contributions from YFGM and QLCC were received on the subject of gender diversity
Meeting for Sufferings received two submissions on gender diversity: a minutes from Young Friends General Meeting (YFGM) and an initial statement from Quaker Life Central Committee (QLCC). The issue will be considered more fully in October but representatives from both bodies were on hand to answer any questions.
One Friend from south east England compared attitudes on transgender to those aimed at gay men like him in the 1960s. ‘It took us fifty years to get to gay marriage; I hope we can reach an understanding on transgender in less time than that.’
A representative from northern England, who had also experienced homophobia earlier in life, talked of ‘another jolt to my comfort’ when hearing a US professor ‘struggling with his inner woman’. We must be here to listen, she said.
A Friend from north west England said that there was very little evidence-based information on the subject. ‘Yes, equal marriage took us a long time and we are at the very beginning of the discussion.’ She noted that the QLCC statement made it clear that Friends should welcome those members of the gender-critical movement who felt threatened by the loss of safe spaces. A representative from south west England talked of being at the theatre and having only the option of ‘gents’ or ‘non-binary’ toilets. ‘It could be easy to jump from the frying pan to the fire’ she said. ‘Perhaps we ought to be careful.’
The representative from YFGM ministered directly to this. When considering the YFGM position, she said, it had been important to recognise what was already happening in society. Trans people are already allowed to use toilets relevant to their assigned gender and there was a lot of miseducation and misinformation about the subject. Shared spaces are a reality, she said. Are Friends still talking about change that has happened already, she asked, or about extending welcome?
