Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting has formally acknowledged and honoured its lesbian and gay members since 1997 when we wrote a minute approving same sex marriage. We had our first same sex wedding in April 1998. We treasure the long-standing contributions and leadership of Queer Friends in our Meeting, stretching back decades before these formal events.
We embrace the facts of the existence of a spectrum of biological sex, and separately of a spectrum of gender – often collectively referred to as “identity”. We accept that individuals may experience profound changes in their own understanding of these facts and that societal conditioning often has a significant impact on the development of this understanding. Our Meeting is enriched by the leadership of many different people, with many different (and sometimes evolving) identities. We recognize that these many gifts arise from diverse identities, and also from Spirit-led sources beyond identity. We acknowledge that Two-Spirit people are Indigenous persons with culturally-distinct roles and responsibilities within their communities.
We affirm that all Queer individuals (sometimes spelled out as 2SLGBTQIA+ representing Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and other Queer people who may find none of these terms fit them perfectly) are created in the Divine Image. Human Rights apply to all Queer people. Advocacy for human rights is not antithetical to faith, but a central tenet of our religious beliefs.
We acknowledge that we continue to grow as a Meeting in how we uphold the rights and dignity of 2SLGBTQIA+ people and are committed to continuing these efforts in keeping with our Testimonies and our belief in continuing revelation.
Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), 18th October 2026