Conditional love? Assimilation and the construction of 'acceptable homosexuality' in Anglicanism

This chapter illustrates the Church context as limiting and shaping what can be told and how lesbian and gay stories can be presented within the Church - in effect constructing a picture of 'acceptable homosexuality' which fails to fully engage with experiences of lesbian and gay Christians. Instead Church engagement continues to focus on lesbian and gay Christians as a problem, requiring silence, constraint and assimilation which further marginalizes and excludes. Going forward, Anglicanism needs to illustrate greater reflexivity regarding its own practice, and to allow greater depth of reflection by gay and lesbian Christians who come forward to share their stories and experiences in order to increase the value and depth of the listening and discussion process. Here the Church rules out the public telling of the stories of sexually active gay clergy. Affirmation is offered but on the condition that sexuality is not publicly discussed.