'An excellent prompt for some important and encouraging conversations'

An account of a reading and reflection group created to help men be better allies in the wake of Project Violet. By David Mayne

In the chat-box of the online launch for Project Violet, a group of ministers agreed to talk together about the need for men to be better allies and committed to being part of the solution to the challenges Project Violet was so helpfully highlighting.
 
A couple of planning meetings later, and an initial plan was formed. Co-ordinated by the Revd Jenni Entrican (Webnet), the Revd Nathan Maguire (LB), the Revd Andrew Ginn (YBA), the Revd Carl Smethurst (SWeBA) and the Revd David Mayne (EBA), an invitation went out across Baptists Together for people to join a reading and reflection group. 

Over seven weeks the group would be reading Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace by David Smith and W. Brad Johnson. Although written for more of a traditional workplace context, and being authored in the US, the book proved an excellent prompt for some important and encouraging conversations. 

Eighteen people from across the Baptist world signed up to share the sessions together, meeting for an hour on a Friday lunchtime via Zoom.

The book invited everyone to consider different aspects of interpersonal, public, and system allyship – including expanding our GQ (gender intelligence), the dynamics of meetings, the importance of sponsoring and speaking up, and becoming advocates for organisational change.
 
The group was mainly male, but the co-ordinating group were particularly grateful to have the Revd Ingrid Shelley and the Revd Laura Gilmour join Jenni in helping to facilitate the conversations and for being willing to share some of their own experiences.

Each of the hour-long sessions involved a short summary of the relevant chapters, some small group conversation about what we were learning and feeling challenged by, and then an all-together conversation about the issues raised in our discussions. 

The groups used the same questions as the basis for our discussions each time: 

• What am I learning?
• What will I do?
• What am I changing?
• How am I growing?

 
As the group drew to a close there was a strong commitment from all participants to keep working and pressing for change across our Baptist movement. Many have agreed to keep in touch and to consider other ways of being part of the change we all desire to see. 
 
Feedback from the participants has included:

Thought provoking, insightful and challenging. The Good Guys Reading Group was a brilliant opportunity to engage with gender justice issues and benefit from shared reflections, experiences and learning within the group. A huge thank you to the organising team.
The Revd Mark Fairweather-Tall, Regional Minister Team Leader for the South Wales Baptist Association

 
Being part of the Good Guys Reading Group was immensely beneficial. The space provided to listen and talk about the issues of gender justice and being a good alley was helpful, challenging but also encouraging. I am looking forward to how this will develop and inspire the wider Baptist Family.
The Revd Adrian Wood, Potters Bar Baptist Church


Being part of the group was a challenge to me about what more I need to be doing for gender justice - so it was good to be able to hear of both men & women minister's struggles with these issues, and to support one another in creating a better work environment.
The Revd Colin Cartwright, Carey Baptist Church, Hemel Hempstead
 
 

The Revd David Mayne is Regional Minister Team Leader of Eastern Baptist Association