All are welcome, but not if you support parents

I am a member of a Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Canada.

On September 19, 2023, the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) and Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada (UUMOC), sent out an email prior to the 1 Million March 4 for Children to congregation members saying:

“As representatives of the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) and Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada (UUMOC), we are deeply concerned about the rise in bigotry and hate directed towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. (In 2021 alone, hate crimes against the queer community rose by 64%, and this number continues to rise.)”….

“Today we are calling on Unitarian Universalists and other people of faith and conscience to show love and welcome to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the face of hatred. 

• If there is a protest in your community on September 20, make plans to counter-protest with community partners.

• Connect with your faith community and work together to find out what your ministry can do to respond faithfully to these issues.

• Contact politicians, in particular school trustees/MPs, to express your support for gender-affirming policies and inclusive education, and your opposition to policies that would forcibly out trans youth (sample letter).

It is vital that 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals are celebrated and loved in our congregations and in our communities.”

Attached is the sample letter.

Since receiving this missive from the CUC I have pondered long and hard what to do.

I agree with the parents. Schools cannot keep secrets. It is my opinion that all mention of gender must come out of schools. No four-year-old child needs to hear that they can be a boy, or a girl, or neither, or both. This is indoctrination and it seems to be everywhere in schools.

Children must be allowed to be children. Schools must be safe for all children.

Schools must return to their original purpose—teaching children the skills they need to function in the world. Information about gender is available everywhere in social media and children can get whatever they want to know there. Schools do not need to be involved.

As I am being instructed to be silent on this issue when in the company of other members, I have decided to leave the church. I don’t want to go where I no longer feel welcome and I do not want to cause distress to anyone.

Unitarian Universalism is the one denomination of Christian religions where everyone is welcome and accepted and you can believe what you want—or so I thought. Now I know that, if the topic is trans I’m not permitted to hold my opinion and personal beliefs. This hypocrisy is why I have cancelled my membership.