ICON - What is Icon? Q and A

If you and your congregation
care about justice . . .
We invite you to take a courageous stand on one of the
key justice issues facing our generation by becoming part of the
Interfaith Coalition on Nondiscrimination (ICON).

ICON is an Indiana-based nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to advocate justice for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) people. In particular, we seek to identify, unite, and give powerful voice to religious organizations and individuals in Indiana who support fair treatment of GLBT people.

Because the religious forces opposing GLBT people are so strong and persistent, progress toward justice — in society and under the law — requires a positive religious voice. Organizations supporting civil rights for GLBT people have been delighted to have a partner like ICON that can speak directly to religious and moral issues.

As an interfaith organization, ICON welcomes Christian, Jewish, Muslim, nondenominational, and other responsible religious voices. Congregations and individuals that care about justice for GLBT people bear powerful witness through ICON!

In 1998, a coalition of affirming congregations in Indianapolis began sponsoring annual Prayer Gatherings at the Indiana Statehouse to dramatize the need for justice for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people. By the third year, the Prayer Gathering had accumulated 15 congregations and religious organizations as sponsors.

After the third Prayer Gathering in 2000, representatives of the sponsoring congregations decided to form a standing coalition that would work more systematically year-round to unite people of faith who support civil rights for GLBT people. This marked the birth of ICON – in unincorporated form.

Since then, ICON has focused on the hard work of grassroots coalition building. Our first objective was to identify as many affirming clergy and religious professionals as possible. So far over 300 affirming clergy and religious professionals across the state have signed an ICON letter calling for basic civil rights legislation for GLBT people! We are now beginning to broaden our base beyond clergy to include lay people and entire congregations.

ICON was organized as an Indiana nonprofit corporation in August of 2003, and has taken the necessary steps to become a tax exempt organization under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. The bylaws of ICON provide for annual membership meetings at which Board members will be elected and other major issues decided. Each religious congregation or religious organization that becomes a member of ICON is entitled to one vote at each annual membership meeting. Other members of ICON (including individuals) have voice, but not vote at these annual meetings.

Thus, ultimate control of ICON is vested in the religious congregations and other religions organizations that become members.

In between annual meetings, the bylaws provide that the business of ICON will be guided by a Board of Directors elected at the annual membership meetings. The current Board of Directors consists of representatives from the following congregations and organizations:

The Chair of our Board is Rev. Jeff Miner, Senior Pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, Indianapolis. Rev. Miner’s background has prepared him well to lead ICON. He’s a graduate of Harvard Law School and served as a legislative attorney in Washington, D.C. prior to becoming a minister and moving back home to Indiana.

The other distinguished officers of ICON include Vice Chair, Rev. Judith Carson, The Church Within (Indianapolis); Secretary, Billy White, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church (Indianapolis), and Treasurer, Kerry Armstrong, Central Christian Church (Indianapolis).

ICON is committed to advocating justice for GLBT people in a professional, dignified, respectful manner that is consistent with the character of its member congregations.

In 2003, a number of statewide civil rights organizations banded together to form a broader umbrella coalition called Indiana Equality. The current objective of Indiana Equality is twofold: (1) to persuade Indiana’s legislators to amend the Indiana Civil Rights Law to prohibit discrimination against GLBT people on the job, in housing, and public services, and (2) to oppose the marriage amendment to Indiana’s constitution which would create a special discriminatory exception to its Equal Protection Clause and undermine religious freedom by giving a legal preference to a particular creed.

ICON is a key participant on the steering committee of Indiana Equality and is marshaling religious resources in support of these efforts.

Did you know that in Indiana, good workers can still be fired on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression? That has to stop! No one should fear losing his or her livelihood just because of who they are.

A bill amending the Civil Rights Law was first introduced at the start of the January 2004 session of Indiana’s legislature. Although it will take several years to achieve passage of the bill, early indications suggest surprisingly wide bipartisan support.

A 2005 Indiana poll found that Hoosier voters favored legislation that would grant hospital visitation and inheritance rights to same-gender couples. Did you know that the proposed marriage amendment to the State Constitution would make these and any other legal right associated with marriage unconstitutional for all unmarried couples? No group of people should be fenced out of the Constitution. Constitutions give rights to people, they don’t strip them away.

Indiana’s legislature initiated the process for amending Indiana’s Constitution to define marriage in 2005. Before becoming law, the bill must be passed again by the legislature and then be approved by a majority of Hoosiers. The earliest a referendum could go before the voters is November 2008. This amendment process provides an extraordinary opportunity to show Hoosier voters that the vast majority of GLBT people are good and decent, and share their solid values and strong faith.

ICON is not advocating for any other issues and will not do so without an affirmative vote of its member congregations. If ICON’s membership ever voted to broaden ICON’s legislative focus, any members that disagreed could simply decline to renew their annual membership.

When advocating for justice, numbers matter. Churches, synagogues, and mosques are unique among organizations in their close and regular connection to their membership base. When linked together by a common cause, and integrated communications, they can become a formidable network of passionate reliable activists. Your good name and that of your congregation will add to the power and credibility of ICON’s work. Broadening our membership base across the state will make a huge difference.

The funding your annual membership fee provides will enable us to dramatically expand our efforts to educate legislators and others, do grassroots organizing and training, and provide regular communications and services to supportive congregations and congregations transitioning to an affirming status.