30 years of daring to hope

written by Warren Talbot

In June 1994 the first national gathering for LGBTIQA+ people in the life of the Uniting Church was held at the Brougham Place Uniting in Adelaide with 120 people in attendance.  The first ‘gay’ support and education group had commenced in the NSW/ACT Synod in March 1982. By the early 1990s there were groups in most synods, and people began to see the value in and need for a national gathering.

The gathering was organised in a low-key manner through publicity in local networks and Synod publications. The Australian newspaper got it wrong in reporting that it was a “secret” meeting, suggesting something underhand was going on.

Thirty years on, in July this year, a smaller group of 35 people met online for a one day gathering under the theme: "Daring to hope." This was the fourteenth such gathering after 1994. Speakers and discussions on three panels were built around a focus on the past, present and future.

A keynote address was given by Anna Brown, CEO of Equality Australia, the leading advocacy organisaton for LGBTIQA+ people. Ms Brown outlined current campaigns to achieve legal equality in all States/Territories, stressing the importance of LGBTIQA+ people of faith being active and visible in campaigns.

Founding Uniting Network Co-Convenors, the Revd Dr Coralie Ling and Judge Simon Moglia, spoke about the dreams and hopes they held in 1994, including the 1994 theme which was 'Daring to speak, daring to listen'. In some ways that theme could be the story of the past 30 years.

Dr Ling, who continued in full-time local church ministry at Fitzroy Uniting Church in Melbourne until retirement, referred to the importance of biblical interpretation. Judge Moglia, who subsequently left the church and a faith commitment, reinforced the value of LGBTIQA+ people finding our own voices in the wider church and community. Dr Des Perry was a third speaker who also attended the 1994 gathering. Dr Perry, a continuing church member, spoke about the formation of a 'gay and lesbian' support and education group in the Synod of WA in the mid-1980s.

Three people then presented about current initiatives in the wider Uniting Church. Graeme Randall, a psychologist, spoke about the report of the Assembly Apology to LGBTIQA+ Australians Task Group. Mr Randall outlined the reasons why the Task Group had supported a "living apology" process rather than a formal apology from the Uniting Church at this stage.

The Revd Dr Josephine Inkpin spoke to a proposal concerning trans, gender diverse and intersex people, which the Presbytery of Sydney was presenting to the Assembly meeting. (At the Assembly meeting the proposal was supported, by agreement.)

Nicole Mugford, a member of the Assembly Standing Committee, spoke about a resource for local churches prepared by a Task Group on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts (SOGICE), also known as conversion practices.

In different ways, these three presentations served to highlight changes that have and are taking place in the Uniting Church concerning LGBTIQA+ people. Thirty years ago there was a very strong need for LGBTIQA+ voices to be heard. That is still the case. What has changed is that some of the voices are being heard within the Councils and agencies of the Church, including in the membership of the Assembly itself. It is no longer novel or controversial for the Church to be regularly addressing LGBTIQA+ concerns.

Another significant change since the first Daring gathering was the presence and visibility of trans and gender diverse people. In 1994, trans and gender diverse people were not included in promotions for the gathering. That first happened in 1996.

The final panel at the 2024 gathering, focussed on the future, including concerns about visibility and welcome for trans and gender diverse people. The Panel members, all in the first third of life, were Mikali Anagnostis, Gabi Cadenhead, Siobhan Patton (all from Leichhardt Uniting in Sydney), and Nicole Mugford (from Brunswick Uniting in Melbourne). Although aware of the need for continued change, all panellists spoke in hopeful terms about engagement with the church as justice for queer communities is sought.

There have been major changes in the Uniting Church’s approach to gender identity and sexuality since 1994. The silence and near invisibility of LGBTIQA+ has ended, though not in all places, and not consistently. In four Synods there are openly lesbian and gay clergy, and an openly trans ordained Minister in one Synod. Same gender/sex couples are being married in all synods - something which we didn’t even dare to think of in 1994. But challenges remain in many areas if we dare to truly welcome, celebrate and honour queer individuals, couples and families across the life of the Uniting Church over the next 30 years.

Warren Talbot helped organise the 1994 and 2024 Daring gatherings, and a few in between.