How to make your scm more Inclusive

— caitlin wakefield

how to make your scm more lgbtqi+ inclusive

In spite of increasing acceptance of lgbtqi+ rights throughout Europe,1 there still remain significant obstacles to daily life for those who identify as lgbtqi+. In 2012 the European Agency for Fundamental Rights conducted a survey of lgbt people living in member states.

They found that in the preceding year 47% of respondents had experienced discrimination or harassment because of their perceived sexual or gender identity.2 From employment and education, to healthcare and social services, the picture we can draw from this survey is bleak.

1 “eu lgbt Survey; European Union Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Survey Results at a Glance,” European Agency for Fundamental Rights, p.3, accessed April 30, 2017. http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2013/eu-lgbt-survey-european-union-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-survey-results

2 Ibid.

As Student Christian Movements we have a duty to be radically inclusive, support our lgbtqi+ members, educate ourselves and others, and work for justice in our communities. If we begin by nurturing our own groups through creating the right environment, we will soon find that our focus can move outward to engage with our wider university communities, cities and countries.

Here are some practical ideas your scm can use to do just that.

Radical Inclusivity

It isn’t enough to say that your scm is inclusive without really working for it. Make sure that there are people who identify as lgbtqi+ at all levels within your organisation, ask for their opinions on how you can improve, and invite them to take the lead in making things better.

• Be representative - consider appointing an lgbtqi+ Representative to your national, regional, or local scm council. They should ideally be someone who identifies as lgbtqi+ and who is committed to overseeing inclusion in your scm. This is a role that can exist to give practical support to other members and groups, to represent an lgbtqi+ perspective at regional and national meetings, and to drive change within your scm.

• Be accessible - if you hold a regular group, or are running an event, remember that accessibility is important for lgbtqi+ people. Along with wheelchair access and induction hoops for disabled members, try to provide gender neutral toilets for lgbtqi+ members who would like them. If you’re unsure of someone’s requirements it’s always best to ask.

• Be explicit - once you’ve made steps to create your inclusive environment be explicitly supportive - state on your website, social media accounts, and publications that you are inclusive of lgbtqi+ people. This will allow students looking to join to instantly sense if they are welcome at your scm.

Supporting Members

Whether you have members in your groups who are out as lgbtqi+ or not, creating a supportive environment for sexual and gender diversity is important. By doing so scms can create a safe space for people to explore their own sexuality and gender identities, as well as signalling to the wider community their commitment to lgbtqi+ rights.

• Be clear about pronouns - agree with your group a protocol for asking for the pronouns that people would like to be used when referring to them. Always call someone by the pronouns they prefer, correcting yourself and others if you get it wrong.

• Use social Media - create a private group for lgbtqi+ members of your scm. This can be to discuss lgbtqi+ Christianity, to plan events, or just for general support. Even if it’s only to share cat videos, a private space can be very important for young lgbtqi+ Christians to interact with their peers.

• Offer financial support - consider offering bursaries to members who could otherwise not attend your groups or events. lgbt people are more likely to experience poverty than heterosexual people,3 and

3 sc Noah Uhrig, “An Examination of Poverty and Sexual Orientation in the uk,” Working Paper 2014-02, Institute for Social and Economic Research (University of Essex), pp 37-39, accessed April 30 2017. http://www.poverty.ac.uk/editorial/poverty-and-sexual-orientation increased discrimination means that lgbt people are less likely to make a transition from education to work.4 It stands to reason that lgbtqi+ people might then have more financial difficulty regularly attending groups or events. If this is the case in your scm, a small bursary for travel or accommodation can really help lgbtqi+ members.

• Signpost - be aware of services in your university or city that lgbtqi+ people might need access to. This could be mental health services, an equality officer, sexual health clinics, or just gay clubs and communities. Have flyers and contacts for these groups that you can give to those who need them; even better make contact with these groups yourselves to set up a working relationship.

Education

Everyone has a duty to be aware of the challenges facing lgbtqi+ people and other groups, such as disabled people, ethnic minorities, and asylum seekers. Fortunately there are lots of resources you can use to educate yourself and your group.

• Read - there are lots of good websites you can use to better understand lgbtqi+ identity, politics, history and news. The following websites are good places to start:

4 “Green Paper – Improving the mental health of the population: Towards a strategy on mental health for the European Union (com (2005) 484)”, Written Contribution from ilga-Europe ,May 2006, p.4, accessed April 30 2017. https:// ec.europa.eu/health/archive/ph_determinants/life_style/mental/green_paper/ mental_gp_co055.pdf http://lgbt.foundation/information-advice/ http://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/ https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/ http://www.onebodyonefaith.org.uk/ http://everydayfeminism.com/tag/lgbtqia/

• Share - share articles, videos and comics you’ve found with your members via your social media accounts This allows you to share information and encourage one another; it is also a visible sign to the wider community that you care about lgbtqi+ issues. You could even consider starting a discussion or book group.

• Invite - ask someone to come and talk to your group. If you know someone who identifies as lgbtqi+ and who is willing to share their experiences, invite them to come and talk to your group by giving a presentation or by holding and Q&A session. You could invite someone in your group, university or wider community; if they’re knowledgeable, passionate, and interesting so much the better.

• Run an event - a good way to increase your own and your members knowledge is to run an event regarding lgbtqi+ issues. This could be anything from a debate, to a lecture, to a film screening. Topics could include the intersection of religion and lgbtqi+ community, a history of lgbtqi+ people in your country, a celebration of lgbtqi+ heroes, or even an arts night featuring excerpts of music, art and literature made by lgbtqi+ people. Start by deciding who you want to come to your events, what you want them to learn, and how you want them to be challenged - this allows for a massive variety of audiences, topics, and styles.

Work For Justice

Once you have a solid understanding of the issues facing lgbtqi+ people your scm can play a part in working for social justice. There are many issues and groups to get involved with, by choosing the one that you can realistically work with you increase your chances of making a difference.

• Identify - identify areas for concern. Every European country has issues that it needs to address when it comes to lgbtqi+ inclusion - find out what they are in your country. It might be to do with hate speech, with lack of legal protection, or with mental health. Whatever the problem is, once you identify it you can work towards combatting it.

• Get involved - collaborate with an lgbtqi+ charity that already works in the area you want to target. The easiest way of reaching those outside of your scm is by aligning yourself to a charity that is already doing good work. Donate your money, time and talents, or ask if you can work together towards a specific aim.

• Go national - be aware of what is going on in your country. If your government introduces discriminatory legislation, protest it. If you think your government should introduce new legislation, campaign for politicians who promise to deliver it. There are lots of ways you can work for justice on a national level, including writing to politicians, campaigning, protesting on social media and attending demonstrations. Make connections with other charities, build community, and show up to events, talks, and protests.

• Go international - keep up to date with international developments surrounding lgbtqi+ people. Know which countries are working towards better inclusion, which only pay lip service to it, and which are outrightly homophobic and transphobic. If you can understand this you can measure your own country in comparison, identifying areas for growth and celebrating areas in which you’re doing well. Protest for lgbtqi+ people in other countries who face discrimination and harassment; for example the gay men in Chechnya who have been rounded up and tortured by the authorities there.

These are only some of the things you can do towards making your scm more inclusive of lgbtqi+ people. By following small steps you can build a movement that is radically inclusive, that educates and supports its members, and that works for justice in the local, national, and international community. Be persistent, work together, and ‘do not be afraid, but speak, and do not be silent.’5