Men Are the Same Everywhere – Sam Liebl (Diocese of Texas)

“Men are the same everywhere.”

Those were the words of a women’s rights activist from Kosovo. Many of the women seated in the United Nations Church Center chapel received her statement with enthusiastic applause.

I am one of a handful of men attending the CSW this year on as part of Ecumenical Women. I came primarily to listen and to discern what the role of men should be in bettering the status of women. I also came to voice my thoughts, first, as a human being, and, secondly, as a man.

The activist’s generalization about men raised the hair on the back of my neck. My stomach tightened and the wheels in my head began to turn. Expecting prejudice against my gender and experiencing that prejudice are two different things, I found. By the time I vocalized my response with the other groups in my delegation, I had had two hours to stew on the injustice of “Men are the same everywhere.”

Countering prejudice with prejudice is not the way to attain equality; plainly, it is the continuation of inequality. Such generalizations, aside from being false, only drive men and women apart and hinder mutual understanding.

We can be pro-woman without being anti-man.

I am relieved to report that I have heard few anti-man statements, but I notice that it is often just below the surface. When I leave New York, I hope to have raised awareness of the distinction between prejudices that burn bridges and stifle understanding, and ideas that benefit women and humanity as a whole.

New Old Language – Michelle Harvey, Diocese of Oregon

In the beginning there was the Word…

“We have to be very smart with our words.  Be very cautious with the word empowerment.  Empowerment implies that that someone else has the power and will empower you who are powerless.  However, everyone has power as a child of creation. Also, do not say people are poor.  There are no poor people – people are living in conditions of impoverishment that are man-made creations of oppressive systems that can and must be changed … There is no such thing as poverty alleviation.  It must be poverty eradication.”  – Marta Benavides, speaking on “Rural Women in Central America: Defining What We Want”

I live in Portland, Oregon.  Walking around New York there are a few things that really strike me.  The first is that Oregon’s idea of “business casual” does not match that of the rest of the country, and that everyone here wears black.  The second is the incredible disconnect with nature – even the sky is hidden by concrete.  The third is the language.  Walking down the streets of NYC is like walking through an aural candy store. 

As a graduate social work student I’ve started focusing on the power of language and the way we use language to define and separate identities, paying special attention to the way in which words and the way that we use them aggravate oppression on micro and macro levels.  I am aware of language daily; I am bilingual and as part of my job I discuss with families the ways infants and toddlers communicate.

This week I have been encountering completely new language for God.  Yesterday morning I went to a phenomenal presentation on Women, Spirituality, and Transformative Leadership, led by Women of Spirit and Faith.  I was suddenly bathed in foreign language for experiencing the Divine – yet the language was one that caused something to bubble and respond in the depths of my soul.  As a woman of faith, I can point out the obvious discord in rehearsing “Our Father” and announcing that “Blessed is *he* who comes in the name of the Lord.”  Some have made such “bold” moves as changing “Father” to “Creator” and “he” to “the one,” and I learned that the reason the mere word alterations still fail to resonate within me is that the entire format of our western prayer is contextually and structurally masculine.  I have been stating over the course of the week that the way for a woman to succeed in our culture is to “be a man.”  Yesterday I learned that even the word “succeed” is not found in the language of the feminine; neither are the concepts of “achievement” and “power,” as such indicate a vertical power hierarchy oppositional to circular collaborative power.  Yesterday my soul heard a completely new old language of the feminine, and I felt the creation of life.

A Sense of Unity – Grace Baranowski, Diocese of Indianapolis

Being invited to attend the 56^th annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women is a blessing that I could never have expected. I knew that we’d hear powerful stories from women from rural areas around the world and then discuss obstacles to their empowerment. I knew that I’d learn more about how the United Nations worked with NGO and government partners to address these issues. I knew it would be a time of personal learning and growth. What I did not know was how remarkably welcoming the community would be at the UNCSW.

On the opening day of our participation in New York City, we all filed down into the UN Chapel for our first day of worship. Two women acted out in interpretive dance the daily routine of women separated from clean, drinkable water. We sang a simple African chant and listened to an opening message. Then, the pastor invited us to approach the wells set up around the chapel and bless each other. What began as slightly out of my religious comfort zone—drums, chants, and interpretive dance—became something wonderful and welcoming. We all filed up to one of three wells set up around the chapel and washed our hands in the water, before clasping hands with our partner and kissing their cheeks or hugging them. I saw women’s smiles break into grins as the sense of warmth grew in the room. Soon after, we formed a circle around the chapel’s perimeter and each sang one note in harmony with our neighbors. It was electric.

The UNCSW community was welcoming in a quieter way, too. On Friday night, after a long day of traveling, the Episcopal Young Adult Delegation gathered in a room of our hostel to share dinner and greet each other for the first time. At the end of dinner, we all participated in the compline, a short series of prayers and psalms to bless the end of the day. People that I had known for only an hour joined me in repeating the words that I’d known since childhood. Even though we were little more than strangers to each other in that moment, we relied on the Episcopalian community to draw together and worship at the end of the day.

This sense of unity was apparent only after a few days. I can only imagine how unified all of the UNCSW participants will feel after a week of discussing these issues so close to our hearts.

Water and Prayer – Andrew Wilson, Diocese of Florida

It has been a blessing for me to meet Sarah from the Diocese of Western Massachusetts. She shares my passion for Christ and development in Africa

I want to start my blog post with a prayer.  There are too many wonderfully eloquent and powerful prayers that are more than fitting for this occasion.  However, I just simply want to pray: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”  This prayer has been going through my mind continuously since my selection to the UNCSW, and I believe it has given me the strength to really put all of this into perspective.

I would next like to thank all of those readers of this blog post.  It is only with the prayer and support that we receive from you that we are able to attend such a phenomenal event.  My home parish, Holy Trinity in Gainesville, Florida, has supported me in this endeavor, and I would like give them my most heart-felt thanks.

Now onto some meatier subject matter…..

Our opening chapel service on Saturday had the theme of gathering at the well.  Water is something that has a place in the symbolism of every faith community, and it was a clever way to unify the disparate faith communities present.  Being the Anglo-Catholic that I am, I immediately thought about the rich Easter Vigil liturgy (all 2 ½ hours of it) and how we are reminded of water’s essential role in the history of our faith.  The worship leaders invited us to visit one of the ‘wells’ in the sanctuary and to share a moment at the well with a complete stranger.  I found this a bit unsettling — such an activity isn’t in the prayer book.  Even my days in Vacation Bible School didn’t prepare me for such an unusual activity.  I approached the well with a woman from South Africa, and the two of us held hands in the water and offered each other very natural prayers of thanksgiving and strength.  Lovely, no?  Thanksgiving for all of the wonderful opportunities that we’ll be greeted with this week.  Strength to survive all of the wonderful opportunities that we’ll be greeted with this week.  I then rinsed my hands off by sprinkling the water behind me (throwing salt over my shoulder) and hopefully any good Anglo-Catholics behind me remembered to cross themselves.

But on a more literal level, water is something whose existence (and lack thereof) is at the crux of many-a-struggle throughout the world:

A woman who sat near me from Bangladesh likely fears the encroachment of water into many low-lying and vulnerable places.

A woman who sat near me from Sierra Leone likely gives thanks to the water infrastructure that’s come about since the years of political unrest.

A woman who sat near me from Canada knows how blessed she is to have water to care for her sheep in the harsh environs of Northern Ontario.

In so many cultures of the world, women are charged with being water-providers.  This water sustains the plants, animals, and families on which we all depend, and this is a central focus of this year’s UNCSW.  Understanding water and its power, both literal and symbolic, is crucial to developing our planet and empowering both women and men.

I think the people who planned the worship service must have known all of this – they really are delightfully clever.

For those of you still reading, I want to again thank you.  I suppose its hard to bow your head and still read, but I would like to offer this prayer:  I pray our Lord Jesus Christ, whose majesty is beyond inconceivable, keeps you free from stress, sorrow, and suspicion.  May you enjoy life like Christ enjoyed life.  And may we all give thanks for the many water bearers in our lives.  Amen.

Young Adult Festival 2012: Meet Indianapolis

New York, Here We Come! – Rebecca Ogus

I am SO EXCITED to be going to the UNCSW.  This is not a new sentiment of EYA Delegates, I’m sure. But how can I not express it?  It’s an amazing opportunity, I’m so grateful to have it, I appreciate the contributions of everyone who is sending me.  Yes.

But really, it’s SO EXCITING!!!

OK.

Here are a few of the things I’m especially excited for:

Listening to all of the amazing people who will be at the CSW presenting and sharing and influencing the world around them.  I have so much admiration for the individuals who work towards ending oppression in general, and especially gender inequality.  Getting the chance to listen to what they have to say is incredibly valuable.  For one thing, it increases awareness, which is, I think, the first step to engagement with a movement.  It’s also encouraging to see all of the work being done to address the myriad and complex problems of oppression in the world today.  Listening to such a variety of experiences also creates an opportunity for solidarity across borders; it acknowledges the similarities and differences between struggles and begins a conversation about them.  Hopefully that conversation (this year on the empowerment of rural women and girls) will be continued by all of the attendants and observers present this year once they return to their points of departure.

Learning from my fellow EYA Delegates (hey y’all!).  I’m glad that we have each other going into what I’m sure will be an emotionally and intellectually exhausting (and depending on the weather it could be physically exhausting as well).  It’s nice to know I’ll have a support system throughout the week, and I’m excited to learn from their experiences and perspectives.  We’ll all bring something different with us, and take something different away, and by sharing the experience we get a little taste of all of it.

Meeting folks from the Ecumenical Community present at the CSW, especially other members of Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.  A friend of mine went to last year’s CSW, and he’s told me so much about how amazing connecting with individuals from all of the groups was.  Hopefully, I’ll have a similar experience…

Travel safely, everyone, and see you in the city!

Young Adults at the UN Commission on the Status of Women

Each year several thousand women and men from all across the globe come to New York to spend two weeks advocating their individual governments and the international community for women’s rights and gender justice. From February 24-March 2, twelve young adult Episcopalians are joining in this amazing experience through the Episcopal Leadership Institute for Young Adults as part of the Episcopal Young Adult Delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Pray for their work and read their stories below!

What Do They Like?

I’m currently at a conference with about 120 church leaders throughout the Episcopal Church. While no one has their age on their name tag, it’s not difficult to discern that I’m likely the youngest person in the room. Don’t worry, when you’re a priest in your early 30’s you get used to it.

I don’t have a problem with this and I’m not sure I should. I’ve heard the argument that we need more “youth” in the room, and God knows I like young energy, but what I like the most is in leaders is great quality, passion and inspiration.

With that said, many “older” people that I speak with about campus ministry are always curious about what the current college student wants. This is certainly true this week. They want to know what sparks a college student’s interest, what keeps them busy, how they respond to the rigors of college life, and most importantly how college students like to worship.

In the Episcopal Church we call this churchmanship. Simply put, it’s the preference that someone has for a type of doctrine and liturgy. And not unlike the polarizing secular world in which we live, it’s natural to want to categorize everyone and put them in a neat and tidy churchmanship box. Are you high-church (smells and bells)? Are you low-church (snake handling)? Are you broach-church (boring suburban worship)? We love labeling things, even if it is extreme stereotyping!

So the same goes with Campus Ministry… people want to put it in a box and label it with the correct information.

Unfortunately, like so much in this world, it’s not that simple. And I really wish it were. The bottom line is that many times the only thing in common with students at a worship service is that they are students who are at a worship service. Some like it simple and plain and from the book, and some like it to be a free flowing and expansive spiritual exercise with many adaptations to the prayer book, that is, if there is a prayer book. Many students look for home comfort, while others are look for something refreshing and new.

So it’s impossible to label what a student wants in worship because they are all different. So the one rule that I try to make sure I follow is to lead it with great quality, passion and inspiration.

From Hate to Hope: A Call for Restorative Justice

A significant number of students in my college community identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. So, when a young, black, gay man was brutally assaulted just two miles from campus, many of the students were deeply impacted. The feelings of fear, anger, and sadness hung heavily over my students, and there was a clear sense of not knowing how to respond.

Below is a letter that I wrote to share with SafeSpace and Afrekete (the LGBT student groups on campus) in an effort to help us all think through how we might respond.

February 8, 2012

My dear beloved community,

This past Saturday, three of my young brothers thought that it was a good idea to beat another brother. They also decided to videotape the beating so that others could laugh(?) with them. This video displaying graphic images of a young man being kicked and punched while anti-gay slurs were being yelled has been viewed and reviewed by hundreds of thousands of people in the last 48 hours.

In the face of such a brazen display of bigotry and violence, it is nearly impossible for members of the LGBTQ community to resist succumbing to the fear that they too may become the target of another person’s hate. Indeed, for many in the LGBTQ community, watching the video of Brandon White’s attack triggered memories of their own past encounters with hate-filled violence. Thus, members of the community are left wrestling once more with real feelings of victimization, fear, sadness, and anger that extend well beyond the circumstances of this single act.

It is the fear of further victimization that drives an impulse to respond to the perpetrators with hatred and disdain. For example, during the emergency Black LGBTQ Community Action Meeting, the young men who attacked Brandon were constantly called, “thugs,” “gang-bangers” and “mother-f****ers.” An “us” verses “them” motif was quickly established, and very few efforts were made to recognize the humanity within the other young men. As questions were asked about Brandon’s state of mind, people were hesitant to ask about the psychological well-being of his attackers.

While the impulse to respond to hatred with more hatred is natural, it is imperative that the LGBTQ community seeks to transform all acts of hatred into opportunities for hope. If more energy is to be directed towards establishing a Hate Crimes Law in Georgia, that effort must be coupled with an educational component. If more money is to be directed towards teaching young lesbians and gays self-defense, that funding must be accompanied by teachings in the principles of non-violence.

As we in the LGBTQ community grapple to respond to this brutal act of violence, Audre Lorde reminds us that, “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” Using language that dehumanizes the persons involved with the attack only further strengthens the systems of oppression that we must strive to dismantle. Therefore let us take a queer response by choosing reconciliation over retaliation and restorative justice over merciless revenge.

With hope,

Mother Kim+

Meet the Design Team for the Young Adult Festival 2012