Standing on the Side of Love
Frequently Asked Questions about the Standing on the Side of Love Campaign
What is Standing on the Side of Love?
Standing on the Side of Love (SSL, pronounced “Sizzle”) is a public advocacy campaign, sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), promoting respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We believe that no one should be dehumanized through acts of exclusion, oppression, or violence because of their identities.
Why is the UUA doing a public advocacy campaign?
Our Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church was attacked by a gunman on July 27, 2008, because the gunman objected to its liberal views and its affirmation of glbt people. Following that tragedy, the courage and love demonstrated by Tennessee UUs was a powerful testament to our faith. Living out our values of respect and inclusion, UUs across the country can play a role in challenging exclusion, oppression, and violence in our local communities and in our nation.
What are the goals of the campaign?
- To elevate and focus Unitarian Universalism’s voice in the public square, to influence public attitudes about the worth and dignity of all.
- To mobilize quick and effective responses to incidents of exclusion, oppression, or violence based on intolerance of people’s identities.
Big goals! How will the campaign accomplish them?
To accomplish Goal 1, the campaign will train and aggressively promote Unitarian Universalist spokespeople in the media when acts of exclusion, oppression, or violence occur. To accomplish Goal 2, the campaign will support UU congregations to mobilize at critical times, using social networking and coalition building to create momentum.
How can my congregation be part of this?
Sign up at Standing on the Side of Love (website soft‐launch at GA) to keep informed. The campaign is ramping up to full capacity by September 2009. Form a local SSL team; speak with congregational leaders already working on issues of justice and oppression. Prepare to respond quickly when you are needed.
Isn’t Standing on the Side of Love about marriage equality? Why are we talking about all of these other issues?
Standing on the Side of Love is a core statement of UU belief in the power of love and our commitment to living our values. The slogan has been used effectively in describing our challenges to exclusive marriage policies. We want to build on that success to open a larger umbrella under which many people, both Unitarian Universalists and others, can take action in a broad range of arenas where people are excluded, oppressed, or attacked based on real or perceived identities.
Why does SSL have a separate website from UUA.org? And why don’t all of the materials for the campaign put Unitarian Universalism up front and central?
We’re proud of this campaign and UUs are prominently featured on the website. But in order to create real impact, we need to engage non‐UU partners and stand together with them. Our materials are created to invite maximum participation from interfaith and community partners.
Are youth and young adults involved in this campaign?
Youth and young adults are among the most enthusiastic participants in all creative work for justice. Congregations may want to form intergenerational SSL crews to benefit from the wisdom of younger members.
Is this our new UUA marketing campaign?
Prior marketing efforts have focused on raising the visibility of the UUA and bringing people into our congregations. We are furthering those efforts by demonstrating our core Unitarian Universalist values through building strong coalitions with other people who share our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of all.
Is this about growth?
Many congregations that publicly stand on the side of love draw visitors who are inspired by UU values and courage. While this is not the explicit focus of the SSL campaign, we strongly encourage congregations to use materials from Hospitality & Belonging to welcome visitors who will come because of the campaign.
How is this campaign funded? How do I make a contribution?
This campaign has been funded primarily through the generosity of several major donors. Donations of all sizes are encouraged.
How long will the campaign last? How will success be measured?
The SSL campaign is currently planned for one year. Success is easy to measure in media hits, involvement of congregations and individuals, and our visibility in communities. But the real success of this campaign will be the effective mobilization of our congregations to support those who are excluded, oppressed, and attacked.
Last updated on Thursday, July 9, 2009.
