Tasmanian Anglican motion on biological sex angers trans activists

Tasmania’s Anglican Synod has been accused of encouraging discrimination against transgender people after passing a motion calling on its schools and institutions to uphold the primacy of biological sex.

Bishop Richard Condie. Picture: Chris Kidd

Tasmania’s Anglican Synod has been accused of encouraging discrimination against transgender people after passing a motion calling on its schools and institutions to uphold the primacy of biological sex.

Minutes of the recent Synod, obtained by The Australian, show the peak church body passed a motion affirming biblical teachings that biological sex was “fundamental to being human” and “should be celebrated and respected as such”.

The motion – moved by a priest concerned at the display of LGBTQI+ posters at a government primary school – urged “all our Anglican institutions, including schools and other agencies, to uphold and promote this biblical teaching”.

Equality Tasmania spokesman Rodney Croome said the motion could encourage Anglican schools and other agencies to discriminate against transgender people. “For a quarter of a century, Tasmanian law has enshrined the principle of non-discrimination against transgender people, without any exemptions for faith-based organisations and without any obvious concern from people of faith,” he said.

“Now the Anglican Synod has passed a motion asserting the primacy of biological sex without regard to gender identity that I fear could encourage illegal discrimination against trans and gender diverse people, not only in the church but in Anglican schools and welfare agencies.

“This fear is exacerbated by the Synod’s decision to vote against an amendment calling on Anglican parishes, schools and agencies to ‘meet all legal requirements by which they are lawfully bound’.”

The mover of the motion, the Reverend Chris Bowditch, said it was about restating the church’s position on biological sex in light of attempts to “sexualise and gender confuse” young people, “including Anglicans”.

Equality Tasmania’s Rodney Croome is concerned an Anglican Synod motion will fuel discrimination against transgender children and people. Picture: David Killick

The motion calls on church leaders and schools to “proclaim” its view on biological sex “with compassion and sensitivity”. It also licences Bishop Richard Condie – a leader in the breakaway, anti-gay marriage Southern Cross diocese – to “proactively advocate” for their right do this “without hindrance or discrimination”.

Mr Bowditch, of Lindisfarne parish on Hobart’s eastern shore, said the motion came after a long, unsuccessful battle to have “age inappropriate” posters removed from his daughter’s government primary school.

He said one of these, posted on the kindergarten class door, said “all sexualities, genders, identities and cultures are welcome at the school”.

“What sort of sexualities are we welcoming at a kindergarten?” he said.

Dr Condie rejected Equality Tasmania’s concerns. “The motion expresses the traditional teaching of the church on biological sex and encourages Anglican institutions to uphold that teaching,” he said. “The motion also expresses our desire to treat everyone with dignity, respect, compassion and sensitivity regardless of gender. Our schools do not discriminate against people on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.”

Sydney transgender woman, former Anglican and current Uniting Church priest Reverend Josephine Inkpin described the motion as “ill-considered, under-informed and divisive”.

“My own experience is that in affirming rather than denying our authentic God-given – not human-labelled – gender, transgender people are so much more fully incarnate, at peace and flourishing in our skins, biology and divine purpose,” she said.

“St Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 encouraged the church, as the body of Christ, to value its members that are weaker and shamed. This kind of action feels more like being freshly beaten up and an attempt to cut off transgender members, families and friends.”