Quaker group changes name after Friends leave
‘Quaker Rainbow spoke well to Friends present, as the rainbow is a widely recognised LGBTQ+ symbol, both within and without our communities.’
The Quaker Gender and Sexual Diversity Community (QGSDC) has changed its name to Quaker Rainbow, after some members left.
Rob Francis, on behalf of the group, told the Friend that ‘while the name was agreed in good faith, some members have interpreted it as favouring gender identity over other aspects of LGBTQ+ experience’.
The decision to change the name to Quaker Rainbow: Friends LGBTQ+ Fellowship (‘Quaker Rainbow’ for short) was made at a special general meeting on 14 May.
Rob Francis said: ‘Our most recent name [QGSDC] was discerned and agreed in good faith by a working group several years ago, with the aim of moving away from an ever-lengthening list of initials to represent different people on the gender and sexuality spectrums. Friends have appreciated the name for its inclusivity compared to its predecessor, Quaker Lesbian and Gay Fellowship. However, in practice, it has been unwieldy, and has led to a confusion that it favours gender identity over other aspects of LGBTQ+ experience within our wider Quaker community. Some members have left due to this perception.’
Friends desired a name that would ‘express clearly and simply who we are, without need for explanation. We asked our members for suggestions, and these included names such as Embrace, Inclusion, Harmony, and Rainbow. We recognised that the first three of these, while they sound good in theory, are limiting and don’t fully reflect who we are and what we do’.
He added: ‘Quaker Rainbow spoke well to Friends present, as the rainbow is a widely recognised LGBTQ+ symbol, both within and without our communities.’
One Friend expressed sadness at the loss of the word Fellowship in the previous name change from Quaker Lesbian and Gay Fellowship to QGSDC.
Rob Francis said: ‘While the word might be seen by some as masculine-oriented, another Friend pointed out that this is unwarranted linguistically. The etymology of fellowship is from old English feolah (itself rooted in feoh, which those who know Germanic runes will recognise as being the concept of wealth and prosperity) meaning a business or prosperous partner bond. Shyppe denotes a larger group, so the whole word Fellowship encapsulates the idea of a group of equals working together for the prosperity of all.’
Quaker Rainbow is a Quaker Recognised Body.
