Following the posting of the CEEC film and the Christian Concern video, members of the Christians for LGBTIQ+ Equality Facebook group expressed their fears that the risk of becoming involved in encounters with “those who have different perspectives and lived experiences” was too great. People know how abusive encounters with conservatives can be. Alex Clare-Young asked the Facebook group members what safe space and safeguarding doer any ongoing LLF process would look like for them.
Members of the group offered suggestions that might ensure that all Living in Love and Faith events and groups are, as far as possible, guaranteed to be safe for us. Some of us have come to the conclusion that it may not be possible to guarantee safety.
If your local parish or deanery is organising meetings, you may know the congregation or deanery well enough to feel sure that you will be safe. In these circumstances to take part would be good. If your congregation is already well aware of having LGBTIQ+ members and is fully inclusive, then the material in the LLF course is unlikely teach them anything they don’t already know.
There is, however, a glaring omission from the whole process - our expectations for a new, radical inclusion of LGBTIQ+ members of the Church of England and the full equality of LGBTIQ+ people in ministry and relationships.
We propose that LGBTIQ+ people and our allies should have our own conversations in safe spaces facilitated by LGBTIQ+ community members. There we can discuss how to achieve the full, radical inclusion we long for and feed back the outcome to the Next Steps group. This safeguards us from being confronted with and/or forced to respond directly to abusive attitudes and statements. The idea of conversation with those holding a different perspective is in principle good but it is really hard being honest in a discussion when you are permanently anxious about the comeback you might receive.
How can we create our own conversations, relevant to our agenda? The Christians for LGBTIQ+ Equality Facebook group has 6,800 members covering every diocese of the C of E. We have to take the initiative. Post a message to the group asking who in your (named) diocese wants to create a group. Contact other LGBTIQ+ people in your area or diocese. Use the LLF material if you wish. The Open Table Network provides a good model of how we might achieve safe LLF conversations across the country and you might like to check whether a group meets in your area.
We need people to step forward and help us all take back control from the bishops who, after decades in control of the process, are unwilling to commit themselves to a genuinely and radically inclusive Church.
How to safeguard the LLF process
The Next Steps group needs to issue a clear definition of what constitutes homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and hate speech.
A condition of our participation is that our humanity, identity and status as children of God are not negotiable. The first principle of any safe space must be the acknowledgement that there is a fundamental difference between the risk to those whose theology is being discussed and those whose identity is being discussed. The stakes are higher for LGBTIQ+ people in these conversations. This is not a conversation between two sides with an equal stake in trying to find a compromise. There is a power imbalance that is largely ignored. LGBTIQ+ participants are at much greater risk.
LGBTIQ+ sexuality and identity must be respected by participants as a protected characteristic. The Church of England must recognise that a diversity of theological convictions on issues of gender, sexuality and identity is legitimate. There should be an acceptance that the presence of LGBTIQ+ people is necessary as a resource in conversations but we must not be objectified as exhibits to be examined and questioned.
Best practice would require trained facilitators as integral to every conversation. We recognise that this may be impractical. The chair or of every LLF event should, however, have prior training and experience in facilitating discussion about gender and sexuality including training about unconscious bias and awareness that what may be a crucial theoretical principle of theology for one will at the same time be a deeply sensitive issue for others. Leaders and facilitators should monitor discussions and intervene to stop abusive and phobic comments. Leaders and Facilitators should be supervised and accountable.
There must be a clear and effective mechanism for reporting homophobic, biphobic and transphobic behaviour and abuse in a session. Professional counselling should be made available. Feedback should take place to learn from what happened and steps taken to improve the quality of safeguarding at future events. Clear pathways should be put in place to report abuse if it is not dealt with effectively at the local level.
Information about the safeguarding system and process should be made published on church and diocesan websites with copies available at every LLF event.
The LLF Next Steps Group should bring forward safeguarding proposals to ensure that engagement with the resources and in group work is framed in as pastorally sensitive and safe way as possible for everyone, especially LGBTIQ+ people, advising on the preparation and delivery of facilitation training and resources to achieve this.