Writing Opp: Affinity Groups and Worship

Our October 2025 issue will look at what we’re calling Affinity Groups and Worship: self-segregated Quaker spaces based on identity. Depending on how broadly you define this, there are lots of examples within the RSOF today. 

• Ujima Friends Meeting describes itself as an online Quaker community of people of African descent.
• Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns has roots going back to the 1970s.
• Young adult Quaker communities of 20- and 30-something Friends have been organized by yearly meetings and national groups for many decades.
• Just this year, neurodivergent Friends in the United States started their own monthly virtual discussion group to explore their needs together and offer support.

There are other, perhaps more subtle self-selecting going on as well, for example:

• Meetings that operate in languages other than the dominant one of their country, often catering to certain populations.

• Meetings that divide by worship-style preferences. For example, a meeting near me has two Sunday worships, one technology-free and one with Zoom participants.
• Especially now with online worship, people are sometimes finding worship opportunities more in line with their theology because distance isn’t necessarily a limitation.

Organizing by identity has some obvious benefits. Being a minority in a group can create a range of problems, from tokenism to invisibility to inaccessibility—or even racism or other kinds of discrimination. There are sometimes more mentorship and leadership opportunities in a more-closed community. Are there times when being separated causes its own problems or creates us/them divisions?

What are the hard and soft boundaries of a group? How does it maintain boundaries when challenged? How do affinity-based groups conflict with goals of inclusiveness? What does visibility and welcome look like? How do we balance being public with being a separated group? 

Obviously, some of these questions reflect some of the most debated issues of recent culture wars. How do different Quaker groups respond to these challenges? 

Also, are there ways that allies of these separated spaces can better acknowledge and support their legitimacy and continued existence?

Submit: Affinity Groups and Worship

Fast Facts

• Features run 1200-2500 words (General information)
• Submissions close July 21, 2025
• Questions? Email editors@friendsjournal.org

Other upcoming issues:

• November: Quaker Fiction (due Aug. 18, 2025)
• December: What Do We Believe? (due Sept. 22, 2025)
• January: Indigenous Peoples and Friends (due Oct. 20, 2025)

Learn more general information at Friendsjournal.org/submissions.

¿Cómo se organizan los Amigos hoy? Hemos observado que muchas personas se sienten parte de los grupos de afinidad a los que pertenecen, ya sea por su identidad (raza, género, u orientación sexual), política o espiritualidad. Nuestra sección semestral “Quaker Works” está llena de grupos cuáqueros que se alejan de las estructuras tradicionales de reuniones mensuales, trimestrales o anuales que reúnen a las personas con un solo propósito. ¿Qué impacto tienen estos grupos en nosotros como individuos? ¿Fortalecen nuestra participación en las reuniones locales de los Amigos, o compiten con ella? ¿Importa si encaja en las estructuras tradicionales?

Información clave:

• Los artículos tienen una extensión de entre 1200 a 2500 palabras.
• El plazo de envío cierra el 21 de Julio de 2025.
• ¿Preguntas? Envíe un correo electrónico a editors@friendsjournal.org

Para obtener mas informacion general en Friendsjournal.org/submissions