SINCE 2018, the Open Table Network has been an active partner in Gathering Voices, a collaboration of Christian organisations that encourage churches to be fully inclusive and affirming of all people without regard of gender and sexuality.

OTN trustee Augustine Tanner-Ihm will share a short video to introduce the theme of this year’s conference: Embracing diversity – exploring the intersection of faith, LGBTQIA+ & ethnicity.

On Saturday 1st October, Augustine’s response to the question ‘What is intersectionality?’ will premiere on the Gathering Voices YouTube channel. Intersectionality is a way of understanding how aspects of a person's identity (e.g. gender, sexuality, ethnicity, belief) combine to create different forms of discrimination and privilege.

As well as being a trustee of the Open Table Network, Augustine Tanner-Ihm is an African-American activist, writer, speaker who is a curate at St James & Emmanuel, Didsbury, Manchester, and a Doctoral Student in Leadership, Culture, and Practical Theology at Bakke Graduate University in Texas, USA. He was also the winner of the 2020 Church Times Theology Slam competition.

Augustine’s introduction, and the conference, will address some key questions:

• How does intersectionality affect us as individuals?

• How do we respond to other people’s identities?

• How can we raise awareness of intersectionality?

The Gathering Voices 2022 half-day online conference will take place on Zoom on Saturday 15th October 2022 from 2-5pm UK time.

The keynote speakers are:

• Ruby Almeida (she/her): an LGBT rights campaigner and lecturer. Ruby set up Rainbow Catholics India and Bridge and Embrace, India, Catholic LGBT groups in India.

• Savi Hensman (she/her): born in Sri Lanka, lives in London and has long been active in LGBT+ and other movements for equality and inclusion in church and society and on human rights in South Asia. Savi is Anglican, lesbian, a writer and also coordinates involvement in health and social care research.

This event will follow a similar format to last year’s conference, with a mixture of pre-recorded talks, and live interactive sessions.

FREE Zoom registration now open until 12th October - BOOK NOW.

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