 Vicki
GrayCONCERNING EXPECTATIONS
Last year, before I journeyed to Canterbury for the Lambeth Conference, I
wrote of my low expectations for that every-ten-year gathering of the
Anglican Communion’s bishops. Upon my return, I reported in sadness how it
had lived down to my expectations.
In truth my expectations for the every-three-year General Convention of
the Episcopal Church – our 76th – were not much higher. Indeed,
given the tension and, among some, anger surrounding BO33, a 2006 resolution
promising “restraint” on same-sex unions and the consecration of gay
bishops, and the threats since by the Archbishop of Canterbury concerning
our membership in the Anglican Communion, I was not the only one who feared
an explosion of one sort or another this July in Anaheim.
That explosion never occurred. Instead, both the House of Deputies and
House of Bishops passed by overwhelming majorities of two-to-one a positive,
forward-looking resolution – DO25 – that allowed BO33 to fade into the mists
of a fearful past, boldly stated the inclusive truth of the current
consensus within the church, and charted a course for moving forward in
continuing fealty to the Anglican Communion.
Against that background, the goals and expectations of the transgender
community, of which I am a member, paled in comparison. As we gathered two
blocks from Disneyland, we were probably were not even on the horizon of
most deputies and bishops. The hope of our nascent transgender organization
– TransEpiscopal (www.blog.transepiscopal.com/
) – was simple and modest. Of the four trans-specific resolutions
originally submitted, our hope was that one would make it to
the floor of the House of Deputies where discussion of it would lead to
recognition of our existence and begin an education process around the
issues that confront us on a daily basis.
Our little team of eight, embedded in the larger and very supportive
Integrity team (www.integrityusa.org/),
succeeded, however, beyond our wildest dreams.
What follows here is my attempt to
chronicle what happened and to describe my feelings as events unfolded and,
now, in their warm afterglow.
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