All right, @churchofengland, #AnglicanTwitter, @oxforddiocese (St Paul's, Slough) - which, handily, happens to be mine - I need a word. Who, in the name of all that is holy, thought THIS was a good idea? FFS. Tweeps, what is wrong w/ this picture? Answers in comments. 🧵 1/ 
How is this wrong? Let me count the ways.
I'm sure, white CoE digital comms person who put this template together, you thought the spotlight on the eager black woman at the front was...what, diversity? Inclusive? What?
It IS *two* things: fake & tokenism.
2/
I'm sure, white CoE digital comms person who put this template together, you thought the spotlight on the eager black woman at the front was...what, diversity? Inclusive? What?
It IS *two* things: fake & tokenism.
2/
Look at the picture closely. She is sitting in front of a black person and a...*CLEARLY SIKH PERSON, who won't be seeking ANY role in the Church of England*, whose faces we can't see, so you've *literally erased them* in a poster meant to focus on them. 3/
To her right & behind her, we have white people in focus - we can see their faces and expressions. To her left, we have a black man, sitting back like a bored teenager (stereotype klaxon). To HIS left, we have a possibly SE Asian woman w/ eyes closed & half a face. 4/
What were you thinking when you chose this stock photo?
Was my friend right when he said, "But there's a black woman w/ natural hair at the front of the pic, so clearly that's it, right?" Natural hair & an obviously forced expression, so we can't even *let her be herself*.
5/
Was my friend right when he said, "But there's a black woman w/ natural hair at the front of the pic, so clearly that's it, right?" Natural hair & an obviously forced expression, so we can't even *let her be herself*.
5/
What, were there no pictures of culturally diverse churches, church gatherings, deanery/diocesan synod meetings, or PCCs you could use? If not, *why not*?
Did it not occur to you to speak to those of us of global majority heritage in those positions? 6/
Did it not occur to you to speak to those of us of global majority heritage in those positions? 6/
Churchwardens, LLMs, PCC members, regular attendees, church volunteers, theologians, teachers at TEIs - we're all out there. I'd say clergy, but you, @AMENCofE, & individual UKME chapters already overfocus on them & ignore UKME laity.
All you had to do was find us.
7/
All you had to do was find us.
7/
Duly noted that your request for UKME General Synod observers is for clergy only. Let me tell you, if there's one thing the Catholic Church taught me, it's that clergy shouldn't be watching over each other; you really need laity in that mix. 8/
That's the idea that if you have enough UKME clergy, you're not racist b/c you have people of global majority heritage in 'leadership'. UKME clergy are in danger of falling for that too, only focusing on their promotion to canons, bishops, etc. in their fight against racism. 9/
Why do I bring this up? Because it's a manifestation of what we see in that picture: a single black woman highlighted against white people we can see, but faceless - & thus, yet again, marginalised - UKME people that we can't. Genuine inclusion runs from root to branch, 10/
or laity to archbishops.
That's the work 'Lament to Action' promised, and you've created a racial justice commission we can see, but what about that fuzzy background? What about the racial justice officers you won't fund or other resources you refuse to allocate? 11/
That's the work 'Lament to Action' promised, and you've created a racial justice commission we can see, but what about that fuzzy background? What about the racial justice officers you won't fund or other resources you refuse to allocate? 11/
What about the daily thoughtlessness we deal with?
"[My full name], churchwarden."
*Me, looks puzzled*
"I just wanted to show Y we're inclusive."
Me: It's lovely to have people who look like me here. [desi family]
Parishioner: Does it matter?
Yes, & this thread is why it does.
"[My full name], churchwarden."
*Me, looks puzzled*
"I just wanted to show Y we're inclusive."
Me: It's lovely to have people who look like me here. [desi family]
Parishioner: Does it matter?
Yes, & this thread is why it does.
That's leaving aside the white academic who sent an anti-CRT article around one of our church groups, forgetting I was in it, doubled down on the UnHerd or Spiked rubbish. When I called her out, *I* wasn't listened to, I was told it was my job to make the peace.
13/
13/
THESE are the spaces & situations where the real work begins, but you seem unwilling to listen, learn, & begin doing it. Please, prove me wrong.
As James tells us, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." 14/
As James tells us, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." 14/
Your faith - and ours in you - is withering. It's time you watered it.
@ValourRain @SanjeePerera1 @RevShemil @AnthonyGReddie
@ValourRain @SanjeePerera1 @RevShemil @AnthonyGReddie
@ValourRain @SanjeePerera1 @RevShemil @AnthonyGReddie I note that the recommendations in 'For Lament to Action' don't include mixed observers for the Houses in General Synod, so I understand why I've heard about queries going out for clergy as observers. Still, I think there should be a mix across all houses.
https://twitter.com/KBSquared4/status/1483800613255327747
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