"As a gay man, I know how lucky I am to be a Unitarian Universalist. My congregation honors all aspects of my identity, including my sexual orientation. It's a real microcosm of my ideal of a just society, where differences are celebrated and honesty is accepted and affirmed."
-Roger Jones, Second Unitarian Church, Chicago Illinois
"I was raised in a mainstream Protestant denomination that invalidated my life as a lesbian by condemning me and others like me to invisibility. Hoping for a place to explore my spirituality, I left that denomination in pain, confusion, and separation. For ten years I had no religious community in which to live, grow, flourish as a human being. Image my delight at discovering in Unitarian Universalism a religious tradition that stands for the inherent worth and dignity of me. My life partner and I were welcomed into our church, accepted as a couple, and our lives were affirmed as a couple, and our lives were affirmed as ones of worth, importance, and visibility. I am thankful for this community that says yes to me."
-Carole Yorke, First Unitarian Society, Plainfield, New Jersey
"I began attending the Unitarian Universalist Church because denominationally gay persons, both lay and clergy, were accepted. Our congregation is working to claim for itself this Unitarian Universalist Association concept of active affirmation. Through being a partner in this process is sometimes discouraging, it is mostly challenging, exciting, and rewarding. We are truly becoming a safe and welcoming place as gays, bisexuals and non-gays engage in open and heartfelt dialogue and gradually we are transformed."
-Pat Aungst, Unitarian Universalist church, Bloomington, Indiana
"I have been a minister for over fifteen years in the same UU congregation, and my church has been very supportive of my partner and myself. They understand that relationships are relationships, gay or straight. What I really like about Unitarian Universalists is that when they find out you're gay, lesbian, or bisexual, they don't react with shock or horror, sympathy or pity, but as if its the most natural thing in the world. Which, of course, it is for us."
-Rev. Tony Larsen, Minister, Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church, Racine, Wisconsin
"Three years ago, as a Jew attending a UU Sunday service for the first time with a friend, I could not have guessed that the following month I would become a member, six months later I would feel safe enough to come out as a lesbian, and two years later I would stand up in a service and announce my upcoming Holy Union Service! As a Unitarian Universalist I am free to choose my lifestyle, encouraged to explore my spirituality, and given the opportunity to learn and grow with people who celebrate diversity. I feel that I've truly found a home and a family."
Leni Brown, First Unitarian Society, Plainfield, New Jersey
"As much as acceptance as my partner and I have dared ask for, we've gotten. That's not saying it's always been everything we wanted, but the atmosphere and attitude is that of welcoming and encouraging diversity. Unitarian Universalism lets me be me - all of the various parts that make up the whole me."
-Helene Haapla, First Universalist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The living tradition of Universalism extends love and acceptance to all people, and Unitarianism recognizes the inherent good of all persons. at a time when many faith traditions continue to express open hostility, condemnation, and exclusion of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons, Unitarian Universalism is deepening its long-standing commitment to the full inclusion and affirmation of all persons - without regard to sexual orientation.
In June of 1970, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association passed its first general Resolution supporting the gay, lesbian, and bisexual communities in their struggle for equal rights and acceptance.
Since then, in the face of the widespread homophobia embedded in North American culture, the denomination has repeatedly advocated for gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons - supporting human rights and legal equality for all; creating and funding the Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Concerns (OBGLTC); encouraging ministers and congregations to conduct services of union for same-gendered couples; supporting Interweave (Unitarian Universalists for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender concerns) - a membership organization of caring religious liberals; and advocating that openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual ministers not face employment discrimination.
The more that 1,000 member congregations in the Unitarian Universalist Association have been encouraged to include and affirm gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons in every aspect of their community life - and an ever-growing number have actively and intentionally done so.
The Unitarian Universalist commitment to become a safe and affirming place for all persons regardless of sexual orientation took on new meaning and intensity with the passage of the Welcoming Congregation Resolution at the 1989 General Assembly.
Acknowledging that every UU congregation reflects our society's homophobia to a degree, the delegates voted to initiate a sustained and systematic program designed to help congregations create a truly welcoming environment for all persons.
The resolution envisioned a future with Unitarian Universalist congregations becoming truly welcoming places for all persons. These "welcoming congregations" would:
The UUA Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns has created a wide variety of educational and programmatic materials to help Unitarian Universalists address these complex issues and concerns - and hundreds of congregations have received and used these resources. Unitarian Universalism, which has long had as its first guiding principle the commitment to "affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person," has come further than any other North American faith tradition in welcoming and affirming gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons.
And yet the struggle against homophobia and heterosexism in both the denomination and society at large continues. Unitarian Universalism is working hard to realize the dream of religious communities where everyone is welcomed and cherished, just for who they are.
The Reverend Scott W. Alexander has served parishes in Houlton, ME, and Plainfield, NJ. Alexander now serves as Senior Minister of the Church of the Larger Fellowship
For further information write or call the OBGLTC, 25 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02108-2800, (617)-742-2100, FAX (617) 523-4123
We recommend the following books and resources - all available from the UUA Bookstore, To Order, write the bookstore at 25 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02108-2800, or call (617)742-2100.
The Welcoming Congregation: Resources for Affirming Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Persons.
Scott W. Alexander, Editor. Broad and flexible framework for tackling the problem of homophobia in church life.
AIDS and Your Religious Community: A Hands-on Guide for local programs.
Scott W. Alexander and Warren Blumfeld. Practical manual for starting programs for PWAs. Describes 27 proven models.
Our Chosen Faith: An introduction to Unitarian Universalism.
John Buehrens and F. Forrester Church. Imaginative outline of the main ideas behind UUism. Includes a useful chronology of UU history.
Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide.
Harry Schoelfield, Editor. Five essays by contemporary UUs provide an overview of UU beliefs, practices, and history.
The Challenge of a Liberal Faith.
George N. Marshall. Popular introduction and study guide to UUism