In September 2021, I was deeply disillusioned with the Quaker world.
Quakers are known for being radically inclusive, years ahead of their time. Women led and preached alongside men, even in the earliest days. Quakers like Elizabeth Fry were pioneers at prison reform. They were among the earliest abolitionists in the United States, often putting themselves on the line for people who other Christians insisted were Biblically inferior. So when the issue of LGBTQ+ inclusion arose, I thought I had history on my side. I assumed that our past would inform our present, that that radical inclusivity would somehow insulate Quakers from the homophobia and transphobia that characterizes so much of the evangelical world.
In September 2021, the terrible weight of that miscalculation was beginning to dawn, and I was desperate for resources. I started with simple Google searches: "queer Quakers" and "Religious Society of Friends LGBTQ+." I found that much of the Quaker world—even much of the evangelical Quaker world—had been affirming for decades. I discovered Friends of LGBTQ Concerns, One George Fox, Common Ground, Friends of Jesus, and Sierra-Cascades Yearly Meeting.
I hadn't miscalculated after all: these groups were amazing! Why had I never heard of them? Then I had a glimmer of an idea: wouldn't it be helpful if all of these resources were in one place and easier for others to find? On Sept 29, 2021, in an act of—what even was it…? faith? defiance? survival? hope?—I bought the domain name, AffirmingQuakers.com. And then I waited. Things got worse, and then they got much better. The Psalmist was right: Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
On the last day of Pride Month 2023, we launched the Affirming Quakers Instagram page. At the end of September, our creative director Madi quietly designed and launched our website.
Here’s what you will find when you visit our site:
You will find a site that is beautifully and simply designed by Madi. We are following the same principle that has guided our Instagram page: start small, start well, but just start. You will find weekly blog posts, beginning with a month of reflections on our four objectives. Hannah has already blogged about our first objective, "We celebrate queer joy.” (Have you read it? It's so, so good!). You will eventually find databases that point you toward helpful resources, in the Quaker world and beyond. You will find ways to get connected to our events, like Gifts of Pride, and eventually you will find a hub for all our resources: podcast episodes, giving opportunities, merch, newsletters...
We can't wait to see how Affirming Quakers can serve this beloved community.
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