After the meeting of the Equality and Diversity Partnership at the LGBT Centre, Ian Robson, Director of the Centre asks if I can hang on for a few minutes so we can talk about something we've been trying to fit in for several weeks now.
We've been tentatively discussing how to bridge the perceived gap between our respective "protected characteristics": religion or belief and sexual orientation. It's assumed by many people that these two areas are - even that they should - be mutually antagonistic. Since we started working together through EDP and REDP, Ian and I have taken every opportunity to puncture that myth. It is true, though, that there are people in both camps who don't think before they speak and cause offence for no good reason. We acknowledge that unfortunate fact but also acknowledge our mutual wish to transcend it. We can't change doctrine, but we might make a dent in dogma and at least work toward a situation where we accept that getting along together is more important than scoring political or religious points off each other.
Ian tells me that the LGBT Centre has been receiving an increasing number of enquiries from people from a variety of faith backgrounds, concerned about coming out (or about family members coming out) and how that might be received in the communities to which they belong.
We have a wide-ranging and open conversation on this and commit ourselves to helping build up greater trust and understanding on both sides. I remind Ian of how these two equality areas work together in Glasgow, as I saw on a recent visit to the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. A programme of public meetings was being held addressing the crossover between religion or belief and sexual orientation, involving organisations such as Affirmation Scotland, Imaan and Sarbat. It's no surprise if I see Glasgow, my birthplace, as being in the lead on issues scuh as this, but similarly it should come as no suprise that I would like to see my adopted home town of Leicester catching up!
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