As Pride events continue taking place across our region and the world this month, Friends are finding different ways to participate in their local communities.
For some meetings, that participation extends well beyond June through minutes, community partnerships, events, and ongoing support for LGBTQIA+ people and their families.
Meetings often share this work by posting events on the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) calendar or by sending minutes to be shared through the PYM news feed. These minutes and events connect both to the world and to our community about the work Friends are doing across the yearly meeting.
PYM participated this year in co-hosting the Quaker Trans Day of Visibility. Many meetings also participate in events around the LGBTQIA+ community year-round or at Pride events during June. These events continue to build relationships with local organizations and support LGBTQIA+ people in ways that remain within their local communities. If your meeting has approved a minute, participated in a Pride event, or has a story related to the LGBTQIA+ community that you would like to share, we invite you to send it to PYM staff at communications@pym.org.
Last year, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting approved the a Minute of Support for the LGBTQIA+ Community. Following its approval, the minute was shared alongside a letter with meetings, community organizations, colleges and universities, and members of the press. The minute remains available for Friends who may find it useful in their own meetings and communities.
Within that letter, meetings were also encouraged to add their information to LGBTQIA+ directories and resources that help people find welcoming faith communities:
- Add your meeting to GayChurch.org, an affirming church directory that helps people locate and visit welcoming, LGBTQIA+ inclusive Christian churches around the world.
- Add your meeting to ChurchClarity.org, a database that scores church websites on how easy it is to find a policies for LGBTQ+ people and women in stewardship.
Last year, PYM also shared LGBTQIA+ resources on the PYM website. The collection continues to grow through contributions from Friends across the yearly meeting. If there are resources that have been meaningful in your meeting or community, we welcome those submissions as well.
