Love Thy Neighbor Minute
Love Thy Neighbor: A minute in support of the dignity and basic human rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people.
As NYYM of The Religious Society of Friends, we embrace that of God and the Light in every person. We are horrified by and opposed to the rising wave of legislation that demonizes transgender and gender non-conforming people in order to deprive them of life-giving treatment and their basic human rights. This statement was born from a place of deep love. We are called to love all our neighbors without exception. We urge our elected officials to support legislation protecting the rights, safety, and human dignity of all people regardless of their gender identity or gender expression. As Friends, we reject any legal restrictions that target transgender and gender non-conforming people.
New York Yearly Meeting approved this minute at Spring Sessions 2024
Background
From Witness Coordinating Committee Minutes, March 13, 2024:
Friends recommend the Love Thy Neighbor Minute to NYYM at Spring Sessions. We were grateful to hear from so many meetings, and to have a group read and study the changes needed based on everyone’s input to the discernment.
The following was the group’s presentation to WCC:
Thank you, Friends, for your many thoughtful and prayerful responses to the earlier draft of the Statement on Transgender People. The working group has read and reflected on your responses and sought to make necessary changes to the statement. We note here one change we did not make, that many Friends suggested, which is the use of the word “demonize” rather than the oft suggested “dehumanize” or “disparage”-- demonizing is, in fact, taking place every day. We decided that it really is the correct word, and we hope you can live with the word until it stops. We are clearer now in the language around legislation and what we want to see. This minute lifts up the lived experience of transgender and gender non-conforming people in NYYM and their families. This comes from a place of deep love and listening. We ask you to listen with love.
Reference Links
- A transgender person (often abbreviated to trans person) is someone whose gender identity differs from that typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.
-Wikipedia, accessed August 8, 2023. - A reason for using the word demonize
- Religious Society of Friends stance on Transgender Rites
- Friends Council on National Legislation - Their statement that LGBT+ advocacy is consistent with our core belief of that of God in every person.
- Equality Act - This National legislation ensures equal protection for all people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
- State of Emergency for LGBT+ Community - This includes legal and travel concerns.
- Anti-Trans legislation tracker - The increase in these bills in the last year has been dramatic, with over 400 new bills introduced already in 2024.
- Background Reading from https://translegislation.com/