➤ METHODISTS, from p.12
tion is all but certain, with the
Church stating that its leaders
have “promised to support it and
no other.”
“The undersigned propose restructuring
The United Methodist
Church by separation as the best
means to resolve our differences,
allowing each part of the Church
to remain true to its theological
understanding, while recognizing
the dignity, equality, integrity, and
respect of every person,” stated an
eight-page protocol document outlining
the split.
The Reconciling Ministries Network
(RMN), which is working for
LGBTQ inclusion in the Methodist
Church, reacted to the agreement
with cautious optimism. RMN
executive director Jan Lawrence
expressed in a written statement
that she has been leery of tactics
employed by the traditionalist
side, but ultimately concluded
that “the aim of this protocol is a
new beginning for people known
as United Methodists — one that
brings renewed hope to us all.”
Still, she said, “During that
➤ SURROGACY, from p.12
Hoylman and other lawmakers
have touted the legislation’s bill
of rights that they say boasts the
strongest protections in the nation
for surrogates and requires
parents to cover all medical and
legal fees for them. The bill would
also address the “second parent
adoption” process by removing
remaining barriers couples could
face to the non-biological parent’s
rights regarding their child.
Despite clearing the Senate in
2019, the legislation encountered
resistance in the Assembly, where
Glick blew off her previous commitment
to support it and instead
was among the critics arguing
that women carrying the babies
could be exploited and that the
expensive surrogacy process is essentially
available only to wealthy
prospective parents who can fork
over tens of thousands of dollars
to have children that way.
The legislative effort was ambushed
on multiple fronts. Opponents
included voices as disparate
as longtime feminist leader Gloria
Steinem, the Catholic Church,
transition period, we must work
together to ensure that we transition
into the future in good faith
and with every intention to do no
harm.”
While local churches will be
able to vote on whether they will
join the breakaway traditionalist
Church, the United Methodist
Church that exists after the Minneapolis
general conference will
then have to follow up with another
conference to settle on the
terms for allowing same-sex marriages
and LGBTQ clergy.
The rift in the Church was exposed
on a broader scale at the
2019 general conference in St.
Louis, where more than 800 leaders
voted 438 to 384 to keep the
Church’s existing bans on LGBTQ
clergy and same-sex marriage.
While many American-based
Church leaders voted for a “One
Church Plan” that would have
moved the denomination in the
direction of accepting marriage
equality and queer clergy, many
complained that international
Church leaders from nations with
homophobic laws and cultural
traditions were the ones who carried
and trans-exclusionary radical
feminists (TERFs), a group of
transphobes who have emerged
primarily from the United Kingdom
aggressively opposing transgender
rights, surrogacy rights,
and sex work decriminalization.
The transphobes hijacked a City
Hall rally opposing sex work decriminalization
last year, holding
up a sign that read, “NO to the sex
trade, surrogacy, and transgenderism.”
In the final days of the 2019
legislative session late last spring,
Paulin told Gay City News she was
still trying to whip votes for the bill
in a last-ditch effort that proved
unsuccessful. On June 20, after
the bill had died for the session,
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie
said, “Many members, including
a large majority of women in our
conference, have raised important
concerns that must be properly
addressed before we can move
forward.” He stressed the importance
of prioritizing the “health
and welfare” of women and said
he looked forward to “continuing
this conversation in the coming
months.”
the traditional plan to victory
in that vote.
Reverend Stephen Bauman of
the Manhattan-based LGBTQfriendly
Christ Church, United
Methodist — who said he has broken
Church rules in the past by
performing same-sex marriages
at the church — told Gay City
News after that vote last year that
there has been growing support
domestically for LGBTQ inclusion
in the Church.
“There is a very strong opposition
still, probably about onethird
of the American church,
but I certainly think there has
been an overall shift in the United
States,” he said.
Yet, despite ranking as the
third-largest denomination in
the nation behind the Catholic
Church and the Southern Baptist
Convention, the share of Methodist
followers in the US appears to
have dwindled. United Methodist
Insight , a Methodist news and information
website, cited Methodist
officials in November as saying
that American representation in
the Church is dropping two percent
annually and that the US
How exactly lawmakers plan
to address those concerns is not
clear this early in the year, but
Paulin and Hoylman told Gay City
News on January 2 that they are
continuing to work with advocates
and legislators to bolster the
bill. Paulin, noting an example,
pointed to the rigorous medication
and hormone treatment that
the women who are egg donors in
the surrogacy process must adhere
to. She said she is in touch
with experts to navigate the best
path forward in addressing those
concerns.
Still, while Hoylman and Paulin
said they are willing to consider
amendments, they both remain
adamant about the measure’s
core structure.
“We are aware of some of the
concerns that were raised,” said
Paulin. “But some of the concerns
can never be addressed.”
She cited Steinem’s staunch opposition
to surrogacy, saying that
she views her as a “feminist icon”
but does not expect to see eye-toeye
with her on this issue.
“They don’t want to see women
use their body for this purpose,”
might no longer be home to the
majority of Methodist followers
worldwide.
And Pew Research Center surveys
conducted in 2018 and 2019
found that the percentage of
American adults who identify as
Christian dipped 12 points over
the past decade, while the percentage
of those who identify as
atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in
particular” jumped from 17 percent
in 2009 to 26 percent by
2019.
That data suggest that the
Church’s opportunities for stanching
the decline in members might
be enhanced by putting the bitter
divisions of recent years behind
it.
The Washington Post reported
that should African congregations
decide to stay within the United
Methodist Church, they may be
given local autonomy to continue
exclusionary policies regarding
marriage vows and clergy.
The United Methodist Queer
Clergy Caucus, a group of LGBTQ
people who are ordained clergy in
the Church, did not return emails
seeking comment for this story.
Paulin said. “That’s a fundamental
disagreement we’re going to
have.”
Hoylman, meanwhile, said he
believes his bill that passed the
Senate remains the best path
forward and that it is even more
important to swiftly legalize gestational
surrogacy in light of President
Donald Trump’s attacks on
same-sex parents and their children.
That doesn’t necessarily mean
the bill will be exactly the same
this time around, however.
“There may be some changes,”
Hoylman conceded. “The basic
concept is the bill that passed
the Senate, and we are continuing
to have discussions about further
amendments to the bill. The
governor’s proposal is in line with
what we passed in the Senate. I’m
eager to hear from colleagues.”
Paulin said has “a great deal of
confidence we are going to get this
done this year.”
Glick, who did not respond to
Gay City News’ inquiries about
this bill last year, again did not
return a request for comment for
this story.
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