University Unitarian Church is endorsing the No Hate in Washington State campaign against two anti-trans and anti-privacy initiatives that will appear on this November's ballot. In publicly taking this position, we join the Church Council of Greater Seattle, other unitarian churches in Washington, Congregation Beth Shalom (our next-door neighbor), and several organizations with whom we partner, including Common Power, Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, and 350 Seattle.

The push to endorse this human rights campaign came from our Social Justice Steering Committee, Pink Haven Coalition and Interweave. The UUC ministers and board of trustees unanimously approved the proposal.

Endorsing the No Hate in Washington State Campaign

Through its endorsement, UUC adds its name and logo to the No Hate In Washington State campaign webpage. We thereby take a stand against two initiatives on the upcoming November ballot that threaten student privacy and safety by repealing protections for undocumented, homeless, disabled and transgender students.

The following is from Pro Choice Washington :

Initiative 001 

• Removes common sense protections for victims of child abuse by allowing parents under criminal investigation or parents who have been charged with harming their own child access to sensitive f information that could put kids at greater risk.
• Worsens the teen mental health crisis. It discourages students facing domestic violence, sexual abuse, or bullying from seeking help from trusted school counselors. 
• And,  forces teachers and school counselors to knowingly put LGBTQ+ kids in danger of violence or homeless by outing them to unsupportive families. 

Initiative 638

• Would force tens of thousands of Washington girls each year to undergo invasive, embarrassing, and potentially harmful genital exams or costly hormone or genetic testing just to play school sports at any age or level. Boys would not be subject to the same examinations. 
• This is the most extreme MAGA measure of its kind in the country. Initiative 638 discourages girls from playing sports. It also institutes a statewide blanket ban on all transgender girls in all sports, outlawing case by case decisions. 
• To care about girls’ sports, let’s remove barriers for all girls, rather than put up more barriers. Invasive genital exam requirements are not the answer.

As a faith community:

We believe that all people have dignity and worth. By adding our endorsement for this campaign, we declare to all people in Washington state that every person is worthy to be who they are and that we support their right to be safe and flourish with dignity, love, and compassion on their side.

We believe in justice, and work to be a diverse multicultural Beloved Community where all thrive. So when the safety of children and those who identify as LGBTQ+ is threatened, we rise up to say “Not on our watch!” and hold to our vision statement that says, “We will vocally and actively oppose injustice and stand in prophetic judgment of all that would diminish the equality and dignity of human beings or harm the web of life.”

We believe in supporting our community members and celebrate that we are all sacred beings, diverse in identity, culture, experience, and theology. Organizations and faith communities that we work with have committed themselves to this campaign as noted above.

And we believe in centering love. And love looks like putting our church behind supporting the safety and care of all children and young people in Washington state.

We are also holding up the  2024 UUA General Assembly Business Resolution  “Embracing Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex and Gender Diverse People is a Fundamental Expression of UU Religious Values.”

The resolution invoked an earlier document that said: “We believe that the inherent worth and dignity of every person, the right of individual conscience, and respect for human life are inalienable rights due every person." But it went further: "We proclaim that our principles and values unequivocally commit our faith to honor and celebrate the full spectrum of gender identity and expression" and “The ability to live ever-more authentically as one’s true self is central to a lifelong journey towards spiritual fulfillment.”

UUC has a proud history of supporting queer rights and gender diversity. For example, we have an active Pink Haven team that provides housing and other support for trans and non-binary individuals fleeing inhospitable environments. And we have a decades-long commitment to the Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education program, which is rooted in our values of justice and equity for people in all bodies, genders, and sexual orientations. In 2012, UUC also endorsed Referendum 74, which legalized same sex marriage in Washington.