Same-sex marriage

Sylvia Hilken takes a different perspective on Equality and Truth

by Sylvia Hilken 11th February 2010

Yearly Meeting last year at York took a significant step forward in committing to achieving equality for same-sex couples wanting to tie the knot in a Quaker Meeting. I was not present myself, but listening to Friends, I have no doubt that the process was both deeply moving and sensitively and skilfully clerked. I am glad of the commitment to progress that emerged. Nevertheless, I doubt that the way chosen is the right one. A large Meeting can establish a general direction, but is not the place to consider the implications in depth. That is the stuff of discussion and threshing.  The way the Society hopes to achieve equality for same-gender couples is in keeping with our history so far. It is my conviction, though, that quite a few important points have been ignored or not thought through rigorously beyond the comfort zone of traditional Quaker discourse. So it is entirely possible that a deeply gathered Meeting can arrive at a decision that may later have to be rethought. I abstain from giving examples; most of you will know some.  Bluntly put, the way currently adopted to achieve equality for same-sex couples to me looks like a cop-out and a fudge. I will try and sketch out why below.