A Message for Pride
from the Dean
Dear friends,
Tomorrow, 50 of us will join the Pride march through London, following a new banner that says ‘Southwark Cathedral – making space for love’. It is a moving experience to be on the march. When people see where we are from they often cheer, hold out their hands or ‘high-five’ us, some ask for a blessing, and some just say ‘thank you so much for being here’. When the news that people read about the Church is frequently so negative regarding LGBTQ+ people, it is important we are there celebrating the truth that, because of God, love will always win.
Some ask whether such marches are still needed, whilst some are trying to ban them across parts of Europe. The truth is that current statistics are worrying to read. In a recent UK survey, two thirds of LGBTQ+ people said they had suffered physical violence or abuse, and nine out of ten had suffered verbal abuse. There are high levels of homophobic bullying at schools, and many people do still not feel able to be honest about themselves at work or in places of worship. Only half of lesbian, gay and bi people (46 per cent) and trans people (47 per cent) feel able to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity to everyone in their family, and one in five LGBTQ+ have experienced homelessness. Internationally, 64 countries continue to criminalise gay people, and 12 impose the death penalty.
Those who enjoyed watching the recent football match between Iran and Egypt will have been watching two teams not allowed to include gay players. I won’t need to tell you how current messaging from the Church of England does not help this situation, as clergy and ordinands are not allowed to marry a same-sex partner, stand alone services of blessing are still not permitted, and we have no bishops who were openly appointed whilst in a civil partnership. With all this in mind, I believe Pride is as vital as ever.
I have told some of you about when I nervously turned off the TV one night, when I was 19, and said to my grandmother ‘I have something to tell you’. Her reply was ‘I think I know what you want to tell me, and I’ve only be afraid of one thing – that you wouldn’t feel able to tell me’. I believe this to be the response of love and therefore it is the response of God. All the love of God is concerned about, surely, is that we won’t be able to be honest, will be diminished by feeling shame, or feeling we have to hide and not be who we are. Love celebrates when we live a life with, and grow old together with, the one we love most, and are free to do this in integrity and with family, friends and the Church supporting and protecting what is so precious and life-giving. It also celebrates loving friendships that support us through life if we are single. I shall never understand why so many Christians seem to want so much unemployed love in this world, a world so in need of love and kindness to be positively modelled for all to see.
This evening I am honoured to be preaching at the Pride Shabbat service at West London Synagogue. I look forward to our Pride Compline on Sunday evening. Most of all, though, I give thanks to God that Southwark Cathedral is always ready to make space for love, standing up against any who wish to make division out of our diversity and equal dignity. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, ‘We are made for goodness. We are made for love. We are made for friendliness. We are made for togetherness. We are made for all of the beautiful things that you and I know. We are made to tell the world that there are no outsiders. All are welcome: black, white, rich, poor, educated, not educated, male, female, gay, straight, all, all, all. We all belong to this family, this human family, God's family.”
Happy Pride everyone!