Questionnaire 2: Question 8 Summary

12 (44%) people thought there had been progress, and 12 (44%) thought there hadn’t, whilst 3 (11%) were unsure.

There were many who expressed there had been some improvement and more openness and some attitudes had changed to be more accepting, especially in the Methodist Church nationally, but many said there was reluctance at local level, and little knowledge of a pilgrimage.  There was one who said it had aided the process of coming out.  Others said they thought opinion was still polarised and that some did not recognise how many gay/lesbian people were in the church.  There was a recognition that the pilgrimage allowed for the subject to be discussed in a non-confrontational way, but that the Methodist Church needs to face up to the extents of its oppression.

Those who thought it hadn’t done anything believed that change was made grudgingly, that many gay/lesbian people had left the church.  There was a definite feeling of a lack of understanding in local churches.  Some did not recognise any pilgrimage and felt it ended straight after the 1993 Conference.  Some said that congregations were still homophobic and that it seemed to say it’s okay to be gay, but not express it.  One person said that stories had been heard, but that it had not focussed on combating repression and discrimination, but making a compromise.