Editor's note: Beth Carlson-Malena has kindly contributed the full transcript of her introductory talk at a Generous Space Allyship event in Vancouver. While introducing Sarah Bessey, Beth delivered this profound and clear talk we've titled "Queering Allyship."
I’m here to kick us off tonight with some opening thoughts on allies and allyship from the perspective of a queer person, that is, yours truly, and also share thoughts from other LGBTQ+ folks in our Generous Space community.
My hope in the next 15 minutes is to “queer” the idea of allyship.
In other words, I want to shake it up and turn it inside-out, to break it out of its box. (in case you’ve never heard “queer” used as a verb before!)
The word “queer” is queerer than you knew – it’s multifaceted and sometimes slippery, even when used as a noun.
You have to handle it with care – it has its baggage and it has its beauty, and can elicit polar opposite responses within the LGBTQ+ community, let alone outside it. ... much like the word “ally.”
Ally is just as slippery and tricky, and I think that’s especially true in Christian LGBTQ+ contexts...
Beth Carlson-Malena (she/her/hers)
Director of Community, Generous Space Ministries
Beth Carlson-Malena grew up in Saskatoon and moved to Vancouver to study at Regent College almost thirteen years ago. There, she met and fell in love with her housemate, Danice, sending them both on a journey of trying to reconcile their sexuality and their faith. Meanwhile, Beth co-pastored a Baptist church plant and worked at Jacob's Well, an incarnational Downtown Eastside community, and Danice was a Baptist youth pastor. Their marriage four years ago meant they could no longer pastor among the Baptists. Beth now works with Generous Space Ministries, offering pastoral care and connection to LGBTQ Christians across Canada, and two years ago launched a new church start-up called "Open Way" in East Van, co-pastoring with her friend Mark."
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