A017 Creation of a Staff Position for Director of LGBTQI and Women’s Ministries

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

That the 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church direct the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to establish a staff position, Director of LGBTQI and Women’s Ministries, which would implement and expand upon the work identified by the Task Force to Study Sexism in the Episcopal Church and Develop Anti-Sexism Training, including to

  • deploy, expand, and share the anti-sexism training modules developed by the Task Force;
     
  • implement resolution D030 (“Develop Resources and Training for Welcoming and Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Persons and Families”) by collecting and developing multilingual, multicultural churchwide resources to support our dioceses, provinces, churchwide leaders, and congregations in living into our commitments to welcome and support people and communities of diverse genders, including transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit people;
     
  • offer trainings (in person and online) and create networks to form and mobilize women and people of diverse gender identities and sexualities, both lay and ordained, who can in turn lead faith-rooted trainings at the diocesan congregational levels to support the local church in addressing gender equality and in welcoming people of diverse genders and sexual orientations;
     
  • collect and disseminate data relevant to gender and sexual orientation equality within The Episcopal Church, in collaboration with relevant agencies and boards of the Church, such as the Office of Transition Ministries and the Church Pension Group)

And be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $300,000 for the implementation of this resolution.

Explanation

This resolution was referred from the 80th General Convention. It was proposed by the Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge and endorsed by Ms. Sarah Lawton, Ms. Laura Russell, and The Rev. Devon Anderson; listed as 2022-D096; and referred to Legislative Committee 14 - Christian Formation & Discipleship.

 

The Episcopal Church needs a centrally located person on the churchwide staff to support the ministries of women and people of diverse genders and sexualities throughout the Church, and to call the Church to work together to eliminate sexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

When the position commonly referred to as the “Women’s Desk” was eliminated, The Episcopal Church lost a place for women to go to when seeking assistance with gender equality issues. There was no longer a repository of data regarding gender equality, a human “dashboard” of programs for gender equality, or a place to ask a question regarding women in the church. Though other positions are still in existence; a position dedicated to women’s issues has never been recreated. Further, the Church has never funded a position that specifically attends to the ongoing, acute need to equip our church to uphold the ministries of and with LGBTIQ+ people. People of various genders and sexualities and their families are in our congregations as lay and ordained leaders, but they have very uneven experiences. Some are strongly supported while others experience profound lack of understanding and recognition. Particularly at this moment as multiple states are passing so-called “don’t say gay” laws as well as legislation preventing trans youth – especially trans girls—from accessing sports or gender affirming medical care, we need a centralized effort to support and equip LGBTIQ+ and especially trans and non-binary people at all levels of the church’s life.

Throughout this triennium, the Task Force to Study Sexism in the Episcopal Church and Develop Anti-Sexism Training continually found the need for a more consolidated effort on data around women’s issues. The same can certainly be said for people of diverse genders and sexualities.

From the lack of data on lay leadership, to templates for equitable search processes, to how to find support for gender and sexuality equality, there is no central location or person coordinating these areas. We are asking dioceses to create plans to ensure the equality of women and people of diverse genders and sexualities, but there is no staff to assist them. If we want to disrupt sexism, transphobia, homophobia and biphobia, we must create a coordinated response along with accurate data. The Episcopal Church is committed to the equality of women and LGBTIQ+ people and therefore should fund a staff person, not only to show its commitment, but to help empower women and people of diverse genders and sexualities within the church.