Women, Gender Equality, & Family
Unitarian Universalism is very supportive of women and families. We believe that our first principle, respecting “the inherent worth and dignity of every person,” applies equally to people of all genders and family situations.Unitarian Universalists are well-known for supporting women’s rights. We consistently speak out in support of reproductive rights, including family planning, abortion, and comprehensive sexuality education . For parents and guardians of all genders, Unitarian Universalists have advocated for adequate day care, governmental and workplace family support, and compassionate welfare reform.
We actively support women in every role in our denomination, from greeting visitors to leading congregational committees to delivering Sunday sermons. More than half of all active Unitarian Universalist ministers are women. Our support for female leadership has more than one hundred years of grounding. In 1863 we became the first denomination in the United States to ordain a woman with full denominational authority.
Last updated on Wednesday, January 10, 2007.
