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Advocacy Committee for Women and Gender Justice
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The PC(USA) holds itself accountable to its commitments to actively work against sexism and for gender justice through the work of the Advocacy Committee for Women and Gender Justice (ACWGJ). ACWGJ serves as a prophetic gender justice advocacy and monitoring body to and for the PC(USA).
The committee’s three primary responsibilities include:
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Serving as a voice of advocacy on existing and emerging issues of gender justice both within the church and society;
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Evaluating and monitoring policies, procedures, programs and resources regarding the way in which they impact the status and position of women; and
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Giving the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency advice and counsel via overtures, resolutions, and reports recommending policy direction or action on justice issues.
The committee carries out these advocacy and monitoring functions in collaboration with the Racial Equity Advocacy Committee and the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.
Standing with and celebrating Transgender and nonbinary youth
Advocacy & Social Justice March 11, 2022
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Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns, Presbyterian Women call on the PC(USA) to stand with transgender, nonbinary and LGBTQIA+ youth and their families
by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon via Unsplash
LOUISVILLE — The Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns and Presbyterian Women are calling on the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to stand with transgender, nonbinary and LGBTQIA+ youth and their families.
According to a statement found here, the PC(USA) as a Matthew 25 denomination “is compelled to celebrate and support transgender and nonbinary youth and their parents within our denomination and beyond.”
“The rash of transphobic and homophobic legislation being introduced and passed across the United States stands in direct opposition to our call to care for those held down by systemic discrimination and oppression,” the statement says. LGBTQIA+ youth are four times more likely to seriously consider suicide, to make a plan for suicide and to attempt suicide than their cisgender, heterosexual peers, according to the statement, which adds, “They cannot afford for us to remain silent.”
Government officials in several states are making “false and dangerous claims about gender-affirming health care for youth as well as threatening honest and potentially lifesaving education for LBGTQIA+ youth in our schools,” the statement says. “We cannot stand by as legislation is put in place to withhold that which we know has the capacity to not only honor their lived reality, but ultimately save the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth.”
ACWC and Presbyterian Women in the PC(USA), Inc., say they’re “proud to belong to a denomination that celebrates gender diversity, recognizing that each person is a unique and beautiful reflection of the very image of our Creator.”
ACWC and Presbyterian Women urge Presbyterians act immediately to:
Educate yourself about the challenges faced by transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming youth
Advocate for access to lifesaving medical care as well as support for LGBTQIA+ children in school systems
Inform yourself about anti-trans legislation in your state, and contact your local government officials to let them know why your faith demands you speak up
Preach or ask your pastor to preach on God’s radical and abundant love for transgender children and youth and the call of Jesus to each of us to stand and act with those most in need of that transformative love.