A group is being organised (by others) which is understood to be for LGBTIQ attendees at the Parliament, which the Chief Coordinator has expressed interest in, and pre-Parliament events are underway in Melbourne now. Hopefully the Chief Coordinator's email on 1st August, 2009 (extract below) to the organisers of the Parliament helped get this off the ground, although others were clearly actively lobbying for this.
I have noted that it is permissible to make suggestions with regard to the programme. There is a topic I would like to make a suggestion about, although I am loathe to risk overcommitting myself and nominate myself to run anything.
The topic is people with different sexualities/gender identities - i.e., lesbians, gays and bisexuals, and transgender/transsexual people. As I hope you are aware, not all religions consider being other than heterosexual and cisgendered to be problematic - in fact, my training including comments that being bisexual would result in increased life experience, and hence could be considered advantageous. Unfortunately, however, the situation of people with different sexualities/gender identities (i.e., LGBT people) in some religions is debated or even condemned - a viewpoint which has severe repercussions for those people within those faiths, and others outside it.
With regard to the Parliament, my opinion is that this difference could cause problems wth interfaith dialogue between some members of my faith and larger faiths that are intolerant of these sexualities and gender identities. I would therefore like to know if there has been any allowance made for considering ways of giving those faiths which DO value people with different sexualities/gender identities an adequate voice?
I look forward to your advice.
The following item was included in an email newsletter I received in September:The topic is people with different sexualities/gender identities - i.e., lesbians, gays and bisexuals, and transgender/transsexual people. As I hope you are aware, not all religions consider being other than heterosexual and cisgendered to be problematic - in fact, my training including comments that being bisexual would result in increased life experience, and hence could be considered advantageous. Unfortunately, however, the situation of people with different sexualities/gender identities (i.e., LGBT people) in some religions is debated or even condemned - a viewpoint which has severe repercussions for those people within those faiths, and others outside it.
With regard to the Parliament, my opinion is that this difference could cause problems wth interfaith dialogue between some members of my faith and larger faiths that are intolerant of these sexualities and gender identities. I would therefore like to know if there has been any allowance made for considering ways of giving those faiths which DO value people with different sexualities/gender identities an adequate voice?
I look forward to your advice.
M_ has put in a proposal to run a workshop at the World Parliament of Religions: "Voices of Wisdom and Challenge: gay and lesbian perspectives on faith, spirituality and embodied grace". He suggested a panel of several GLBTIQ folks from various religions and cultures, discussing their faith and spirituality etc - with general discussion afterwards. The proposal was accepted - so the workshop is on !! If anyone is interested in participating in the workshop please contact M_direct on
This workshop has now been included - congratulations to all beghind the organisation of it - as a gay and lesbian event (no mention of BTIQ, though):
Saturday 5th December(1130-1300) Voices of Challenge and Wisdom: Gay and Lesbian Perspectives on Faith, Spirituality and Embodied Grace
There are also some pagan events being held:
Thursday 4th December(evening) A Pagan Awareness Network sponsored pagan welcoming event will be held as part of the communities night, at Northcote Town HallFriday 4th December(0930-1100) People Call us Pagan - the European Indigenous traditionsSaturday 5th December(0800-0900) Celtci Mysticism: An Introduction to its Arts and Traditions(0800-0900) Solstice Sites and CelebrationsMonday 7th December(0930-1100) Australian Pagans Speak: a Community Forum(1630-1800) Pagans and Religious Freedom
There are also some events which may or may not be supportive.
Monday 7th December(1430-1600) Interpreting the Text: Apostasy and Homosexuality
In addition, a small win can possibly be counted as having been acheived, as the organisers have now acknowledged that Victorian law includes a prohibition against discrimination. This came about as a result of an exchange of emails following a request by the organisers for people to assit with homestay options for international visitors.
From the original email:
With respect to this request, I note that you have listed the following in your homestay documentation section regarding discrimination:
Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, marital status, religious belief or activity, industrial activity, political opinion or activity, national extraction, social origin, disability, parental status or status as a carer, pregnancy, lawful sexual activities, physical features or breastfeeding is unlawful.
I was wondering why have you chose not to also included "gender identity", and why have you included "lawful sexual activity" rather than "sexual orientation"? Whilst it is good that some acknowledgement of differing sexualities has been included, it would perhaps be worth noting the following list of attributes under which discrimination is prohibited in Victoria (from http://www.
age breastfeeding carer status disability/impairment employment activity gender identity industrial activity lawful sexual activity marital status parental status physical features political belief or activity pregnancy race religious belief or activity sex sexual orientation personal association with someone who has, or is assumed to have, one of these personal characteristics.
I look forward to your reply.
From the response:
This was an oversight on our part and we definitely have every intention of honouring the Victorian legislation
There have been a number of preliminary publicity events. Maybe the folowing articles can be counte amongst those:"God's will drifts according to believer's belief" The Age, December 2, 2009 - 12:00AMTo view the entire article, click on: http://www.theage.com.au/
"Faiths called to account over women's lot", The Age, December 2, 2009 - 12:00AM: http://www.theage.com.au/
See also:
http://earthspiritcommunity.blogspot.com/2009/12/pagans-at-parliament.html
http://earthspiritcommunity.blogspot.com/2009/12/preparing-for-parliament.html
A Correllian Nativist (the other mob) video post at
http://www.youtube.com/v/-7T4IOuWnhQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&
http://parliament.pagannewswirecollective.com/2009/11/presentations-by-pagans/
http://parliament.pagannewswirecollective.com/2009/11/c-o-g-s-parliament-coverage/
http://parliament.pagannewswirecollective.com/2009/12/earthspirit-at-the-parliament/
http://parliament.pagannewswirecollective.com/2009/12/why-is-the-parliament-important-for-the-pagan-community/
http://www.witchschool.com/page/australian-aboriginal
http://www.witchschool.com/page/invitation-to-the-2009
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
Tags: Parliament of World Religions, pagan, communication, cross-fertilisation (ideas), interfaith, multifaith, Order of Hermes, human rights,
First published: Friday 4th December, 2009
Last edited: Monday 4th January, 2010
