Christian Aid, in collaboration with Queen's University Belfast, has released a 56-page booklet focused on "Queering the women, peace, and security agenda."
The booklet advocates for incorporating LGBTQ+ perspectives, particularly those of transgender activists, into international peace and security efforts.
The Christain Aid website says: "This toolkit offers practical guidance to those working to include lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer women in a gender analysis of peace and security and those working on gendered dimensions of peace and security programming.
"It's also for academics and students interested in strengthening their understanding of heteronormative and cisgender assumptions within gender, peace and security and connecting WPS to the everyday through the lens of LGBTQ+ experiences."
The booklet includes a glossary explaining terms like "cisprivilege," "non-binary," and "queering." The term queering is defined as applying LGBTQ+ concepts to systems like peace processes and societal structures.
The booklet also discusses topics such as "toxic masculinity," colonialism's impact on gender systems, and the need to dismantle patriarchal structures within judicial systems.
It advocates for transforming existing gender norms and power dynamics to foster more inclusive societies.
The project cost an estimated £2,000 to produce, with funding for the broader initiative, titled "Queering Women, Peace, and Security (WPS): Improving Engagement with Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Women in WPS Programming," totaling £94,988, provided by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology.
The outlet sought responses from the Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, and Methodist churches regarding their stance on "queering the WPS agenda." The Presbyterian Church clarified that while it partners with Christian Aid on various projects, it does not necessarily endorse all initiatives undertaken by its partners.
The Church of Ireland highlighted its collaboration with Christian Aid through its Bishops' Appeal, focusing on poverty relief and the promotion of human dignity. The Methodist Church did not provide a response.