‘We have seen how much work there is to do in making our Meetings places where everyone feels safe.’

Maria Martin on being LGBTQI allies

In 2016, growing out of a concern brought to elders, a small group of Chichester Friends met to discuss the issues of diversity and inclusion in our Local and Area Meetings. Three years on, last month, twenty-two of us met to celebrate our third birthday with a workshop on the theme: ‘Being Allies, Being Friends: Quakers and the LGBTQI Community.’

‘SOGII’, the memorable acronym of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Inclusion group, began in Chichester Local Meeting but now welcomes members and attenders from Brighton, Worthing, Andover, Bognor, Portsmouth, Basingstoke and Wanstead, as well as linking with the Quaker Gender and Sexual Diversity Community for larger gatherings and information sharing.

When originally discussing our aims and purposes it was suggested that, within Quakers, such a group ought not be necessary. But we have seen just how much work there is still to do in making our Meetings and Meeting houses places where everyone feels safe, welcome, valued and respected.

In March 2018 the Friend published Chichester’s Statement of Inclusion, which built on the ground-breaking statement on gender diversity produced by North East Thames Area Meeting the previous year. Since then SOGII has increased our Quaker visibility in the Sussex West Area, taking part in Pride and Trans Pride celebrations, and Transgender Day of Remembrance services at the University of Chichester.

SOGII is made up of: trans Friends; the parents of trans young people; and gay, straight, lesbian and non-binary members and attenders, with ages ranging from twenties to nineties. Over the past three years many of us have faciliated discussion groups and taken part in surveys on inclusion and diversity issues such as: the government’s consultation paper on reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004; Nim Njuguna’s Eva Koch scholarship research (‘Becoming Quaker Diversity Champions’); and in sending a minute in response to Quaker Life Central Committee’s initial discussion document about gender diversity.

In the October workshop, using Stonewall’s ‘Five ways to be an [LGBT] ally’ article as a starting point, Friends were encouraged to write words, phrases, doodles and comments on what we hope, need and want from each other as allies and Friends, and what being an ally means to us. These were displayed as a graffiti wall, interspersed with snippets of our Statement of Inclusion, and this has now been formatted as a poster.

So, while we’ve not yet achieved our aim of being unnecessary, we are continuing to learn, grow and support one another, while celebrating the rich and joyful diversity among the Friends who make up our Meetings.

SOGII meets at Chichester Quaker Meeting House. For more details see www.chichesterquakers.org.uk.

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Comments

I’m really happy to read about the initiative and it fills me with hope and joy! Thank you!
I just wonder if bisexual people could be included in any other lists/reports that you make. Just because we’re often forgotten and it can be quite discouraging sometimes. We make up a larger percentage of the queer community and our needs and experiences overlap and differ in many important ways.
Many thanks!

By Kezia Barr on 31st October 2019 - 12:55

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