This past spring ELM conducted a survey of the Proclaim community.  In addition to stats, we asked for longer written responses to some questions. This info is being shared throughout our program teams to inform and shape our work. 

Here is a link to  Highlights of the Proclaim Member Survey 2014.

For a quick peek, here are a few Highlights of the Highlights:

+ We have a diversity of identities within our community.  Here are some of the ways Proclaim members identify:

Gender Identity – male, transgender, Q, female, Emale, Queer, a-gender, transgender guy, queer woman, male-identified – most days, transgender woman, masculine/gender neutral, MtF, woman, cisgender male/man

Sexual Orientation – gay, lesbian, bi, queer, pan/bi, queer woman, homosexual, straight, bisexual

+ 64% of Proclaim members who completed the survey were raised Lutheran.   And about 50% of current seminary/divinity students who completed the survey were raised Lutheran.

+ We recognize relationships in a variety of ways.  65% of Proclaim members who completed the survey currently have a partner/spouse.  Some are legally married, some have had religious ceremonies, some have domestic partnerships or civil unions, and some recognize their relationship in other ways (details in survey highlights).

+ Of Proclaim members who completed the survey, only 2 out of 81 people knew an openly LGBTQ pastor growing up.  Thanks to the witness of Proclaim members and supporters of ELM, we are actively working to change this statistic!

Proclaim is an active community of 164 publicly identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leaders, candidates, and seminarians.  23 new members have joined so far in 2014.  We have Proclaim members in 48 of the 65 synods in the ELCA.   Want to meet some of these leaders? Check out Proclaim Profiles.

Want to see more results of the survey?  Highlights of the Proclaim Member Survey 2014

If you have trouble reading the document, here is the Proclaim Survey – black and white version