Breaking false binaries in gender and sexuality
Our online conference took place on October 17th 2020.
We hosted the event as a free Zoom meeting – and we have made some of the sessions available on YouTube.
Meet the presenters
We are pleased to have keynote speakes and breakout group leaders – some of whom are making return visits to Gathering Voices.
Keynote presenters
- Breaking binaries in our bodies
Lu Skerratt
View on YouTube
In this first part of the keynote, Lu considers how to be intentional with “our queer bodies”. - Breaking binaries in the body of Christ
Lu Skerratt
View on YouTube
In this second part of Lu’s keynote talk, Lu considers how the incarnational and resurrectional body of Christ are a source of hope. - Current legal issues for trans and other gender diverse people
Grey Collier
View on YouTube
What are the current legal issues in the UK for trans and other gender diverse people?
Why should trans people to be able to “self-ID” in many contexts but have to undergo a complex bureaucratic process for gender recognition? What are the implications of the recent government response to the Gender Recognition Act ?
In this talk, Grey Collier (advocacy director for Liberty, https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/) discusses some of the issues facing trans and gender diverse people in the United Kingdom.
Find out more at www.consortium.lgbt/togethercampaign or search #TogetherWithTrans
Breakout groups
We did not record the breakout group sessions, but we asked people to give a summary of the group discussion afterwards.
- Alex Clare-Young
Why do we need to see more queerly? Does queer visibility matter?
view summary on YouTube - Jide Macaulay
If we can see more queerly what impact will that have on our Christian experiences?
view summary on YouTube - Rachel Mann
What does breaking false binaries mean? Why is it important?
view summary on YouTube - Tina Beardsley and Chris Dowd
Trans affirming churches; how to celebrate variant people and their loved ones
view summary on YouTube
Panel discussion
Chris Whitney-Cooper chaired a panel discussion with Alex, Chris D, Jide, Lu, and Tina.
Liturgy and worship
You can view the liturgy we used during our worship time.
- The Summons (John Bell) Recorded by Alex Clare-Young
- Call to worship (adapted from United Church of Canada materials) https://www.united-church.ca/worship-special-days/pride-sunday
- Litany of Coming Out adapted from Courage to love : liturgies for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (Geoffrey Duncan) https://www.worldcat.org/title/courage-to-love-liturgies-for-the-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-community/oclc/49864286
- Reading: Romans 8:38-39
- Introduction to prayer (Richard Rohr) https://cac.org/2020-daily-meditations/
- Intercessions (Alex Clare-Young)
- Thanksgiving (adapted from Thank You Prayer for National Coming Out Day) https://enfleshed.com/blogs/news/thank-you-prayer-for-national-coming-out-day
- We Shall Go Out (June Boyce-Tillman) Recorded by Alex Clare-Young
- Dismissal Adapted from National Coming Out Day resources for the Human Rights Campaign, 2006 https://www.hrc.org/resources/national-coming-out-day
Resources
- https://www.augustine.org.uk/whats-on/lgbt-ministry/
- https://www.queertheology.com/resources/
- www.transgenderchristianhuman.com
- https://www.creatingsanctuary.org.uk/programme-resources
- https://opentable.lgbt/
- https://onebodyonefaith.org.uk/
- https://inclusive-church.org/
Books
- Otherwise Christian (Chris Paige) https://www.amazon.co.uk/OtherWise-Christian-Guidebook-Transgender-Liberation/dp/1951124006
- Transforming (Austen Hartke) https://www.amazon.co.uk/transforming-Austen-Hartke/dp/0664263100
- Soul of a stranger (Joy Ladin) (Jewish) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soul-Stranger-Reading-Transgender-Perspective-ebook/dp/B07PR4563W
- The Bible and the Transgender Experience (Linda Tatro Herzer) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bible-Transgender-Experience-Scripture-Supports/dp/0829820426
- This Is My Body: Hearing the Theology of Transgender Christians (Tina Beardsley/Michelle O’Brien) https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GIJIJKO
- Transfaith: A Trangender pastoral resource: A Transgender Pastoral Resource (Christina Beardsley/Justin Tanis) https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DMGFSFV
- Trans Affirming Churches: How to Celebrate Gender-Variant People and Their Loved Ones (Christina Beardsley/Chris Dowd) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Including-Trans-People-Church/dp/1785925326
Pre-conference panel discussion
To start unpacking our thinking on the topic, we were delighted to be joined by Alex Clare-Young, Rachel Mann, and Jide Macaulay for a panel discussion to address some key questions:
- What do we mean, and why do we need to see more queerly?
- What does breaking false binaries mean?
- What impact will seeing more queerly have on our Christian experiences?
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