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UID:4@firstparishbeverly.org
DTSTART:20181106T000000Z
DTEND:20181106T233000Z
DTSTAMP:20181101T235439Z
URL:https://firstparishbeverly.org/events/first-parish-says-yes-on-3/
SUMMARY:First Parish Says 'Yes on 3!'
DESCRIPTION:Letter Submitted to The Salem News in Support of Transgender Eq
 uality and Yes on 3\nAs the board of First Parish Church in Beverly\, Unit
 arian Universalist\, we are moved to speak out in favor of Question 3\, su
 pporting our transgender family in our faith and our communities. Our fait
 h calls us to value the inherent worth and dignity of each person\, so our
  position is clear: all people should be able to safely access public spac
 es.\n\nWhen the Public Accommodations Transgender Non-Discrimination bill 
 was passed by a strong bipartisan vote and signed into law by Governor Bak
 er in 2016\, it was a victory for the Commonwealth and for all of us livin
 g here. We are committed to creating a climate that is safe for transgende
 r people through the practice of our shared values of justice\, equity\, a
 nd compassion in human relations\, and our reverence for the unique possib
 ilities contained in each human life. We have brought these values to life
  in our state\, and in the two years since the law’s passage\, all of us
  in Massachusetts\, especially transgender and gender non-conforming resid
 ents\, have been safer because of it.\n\nNext month\, we are being asked t
 o vote on whether to take away rights from transgender people. It is sorro
 wful even to have such a question on the ballot. But by endorsing and voti
 ng Yes on 3\, the First Parish board seeks to recognize what an essential 
 set of protections we have in place for transgender people in this state. 
 Though the outcome of this vote may not appear to directly impact many of 
 our lives\, our values ask us to recognize the interdependent web of exist
 ence wherein if one of us is at risk\, we all are. Overturning this necess
 ary law would put our transgender and gender non-conforming community memb
 ers at great risk.\n\nOn election day\, our congregation will be speaking 
 out for Yes on Three. It is a matter of justice\, of dignity\, of safety\,
  of rights. We hope you join us.\n\nFirst Parish Church Board\nRev. Kelly 
 Weisman Asprooth-Jackson: Yes on 3!\nListen to Rev. Kelly discuss why he s
 upports "Yes" on Question 3:\n\n
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