This year’s Cutting Edge conference is titled LGBT Lives: Achieving our Equality, Challenging Faith-Based Homophobia and Transphobia.
Quite a mouthful, and the daylong programme is packed too. There will be three keynote speakers, two plenary discussions each with a panel of speakers, and two separate workshop sessions with about six events running in parallel.
The full spectrum of Cutting Edge’s membership is reflected in the programme: faith organisations, secularists, trade unions, and LGBT groups. Ekklesia is a member.
The cost is very moderate, for individuals, no more than £15 for the day, and that includes a lunch. But advance booking is essential for the caterers to plan.
The keynote speakers are:
* The Anglican Bishop of Salisbury, Nicholas Holtam, who will lead off the day with a talk entitled Same sex partnerships: making space for the conversation in the Church
* Aidan O’Neill QC, from Matrix Chambers, an expert on European Law, whose talk is titled Reasonable Accommodation – is this a way forward?
* Angela Eagle MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, and a Humanist, who will talk about Working together to challenge faith-based homophobia
Panel members for the plenary session in the morning are:
* Canon Giles Goddard from Inclusive Church
* Andrew Copson from the British Humanist Association
* Jennifer Moses from NASUWT the Education Union
* Julia Neal from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers
And in the afternoon:
* Elly Barnes from Schools Out
* Phyllis Opuko-Gymah from Black Pride and the Public and Commercial Services Union
* Yusef Gojikian from Imaan
* Sharon Langridge from Bi Quakers
Workshop topics will include:
* The Marriage Debate: speakers from the Quakers, Unitarians and Liberal Judaism
* Equal Access to Public Services after the Equality Act: speakers from the police service and trade unions
* Faith in Schools and Public Life: speakers from ACCORD and One Law for All
* Humanist-Faith Dialogue on Secularism and Equality: speakers Richard Norman and Savi Hensman
* Good Practice in Schools: speakers from Preston Manor, Schools Out and LGCM
Advance booking is essential for the catering? Please book as soon as you can via our website at cuttingedgeconsortium.co.uk