Perhaps being visible is not as important as being present to those we meet. I used to wear a clerical collar. It triggered many different responses from the uneasy to the positive and welcoming. But it was and is the person who matters. The Friends could use digital media, a presence online, and even an app to present their way to the world.
I was at Yearly Meeting in person on the Saturday and online the rest of the time. It was powerful.
I don’t think we’ll ever look Quaker again. We’re never going back to plain dress (at least not most Friends). We don’t look like Quakers anymore. But maybe that’s not the point. Maybe what matters now isn’t how we look but whether we’re willing to speak and to listen as Friends.
I’m not quite sure how I feel about the “I’m a Quaker – ask me why” badges.
I went to one of the Outreach Network sessions run by Quakers in Britain, and I was surprised (in a good way) by how much it focused on communication skills. It was terrific. Almost all of it was learning to listen to others and to share our own stories and experiences more confidently.
I suppose stories are how humans learn best. They’re how we connect, how we empathise. Jesus taught through stories. You tell stories of early Friends here in this blog. People want and need to be seen and heard. And sharing our stories is one of the ways that can happen.
Perhaps, ultimately, it’s less about wearing the outward “I’m a Quaker – ask me why” badge, and more about building up the inward confidence and hope in what Friends have, and still can, share.
I’ve never worn the ‘Radical, Simple, Spiritual’ badge because it seems to be boasting of having these characteristics and I feel very uncomfortable with that idea. They are rather ideals that I hope I’m moving towards, millimetre by millimetre.
I find the history of Quaker dress fascinating, but I can see why it was potentially a problem. It's easy for people to wear a uniform which makes them look observant, while inside they might not be particularly observant at all. But at the same time, I can see why it's important to people because it's a signifier, as much as, say, youth subcultures. It's saying, this is what I believe in.
By the way, I have Quaker ancestors who moved to Liverpool and joined the meeting there around the same time as Mary Waterhouse. I expect they knew each other. Although mine we fustian weavers, not merchants! I've always wondered if the fustian they made was mainly for Quaker clothing.
The idea of a badge saying: 'I am a Quaker; ask me why?' made me laugh and then pause to wonder why if felt so inappropriate. I suppose it is the self-aggrandisement of the question; the notion that anyone should care about your beliefs and choices. No reason why we should fade to grey, but that's a step too far for me.
Thank you for sharing this detail about the challenges of being visible and authentic as a Quaker. It seems to me it applies to many of us in various walks of life and faith.
Perhaps being visible is not as important as being present to those we meet. I used to wear a clerical collar. It triggered many different responses from the uneasy to the positive and welcoming. But it was and is the person who matters. The Friends could use digital media, a presence online, and even an app to present their way to the world.
I liked the "Ask me why" button and wore it for a long time. Only one person ever asked
Really interesting blog.
I was at Yearly Meeting in person on the Saturday and online the rest of the time. It was powerful.
I don’t think we’ll ever look Quaker again. We’re never going back to plain dress (at least not most Friends). We don’t look like Quakers anymore. But maybe that’s not the point. Maybe what matters now isn’t how we look but whether we’re willing to speak and to listen as Friends.
I’m not quite sure how I feel about the “I’m a Quaker – ask me why” badges.
I went to one of the Outreach Network sessions run by Quakers in Britain, and I was surprised (in a good way) by how much it focused on communication skills. It was terrific. Almost all of it was learning to listen to others and to share our own stories and experiences more confidently.
I suppose stories are how humans learn best. They’re how we connect, how we empathise. Jesus taught through stories. You tell stories of early Friends here in this blog. People want and need to be seen and heard. And sharing our stories is one of the ways that can happen.
Perhaps, ultimately, it’s less about wearing the outward “I’m a Quaker – ask me why” badge, and more about building up the inward confidence and hope in what Friends have, and still can, share.
I’ve never worn the ‘Radical, Simple, Spiritual’ badge because it seems to be boasting of having these characteristics and I feel very uncomfortable with that idea. They are rather ideals that I hope I’m moving towards, millimetre by millimetre.
I find the history of Quaker dress fascinating, but I can see why it was potentially a problem. It's easy for people to wear a uniform which makes them look observant, while inside they might not be particularly observant at all. But at the same time, I can see why it's important to people because it's a signifier, as much as, say, youth subcultures. It's saying, this is what I believe in.
By the way, I have Quaker ancestors who moved to Liverpool and joined the meeting there around the same time as Mary Waterhouse. I expect they knew each other. Although mine we fustian weavers, not merchants! I've always wondered if the fustian they made was mainly for Quaker clothing.
The idea of a badge saying: 'I am a Quaker; ask me why?' made me laugh and then pause to wonder why if felt so inappropriate. I suppose it is the self-aggrandisement of the question; the notion that anyone should care about your beliefs and choices. No reason why we should fade to grey, but that's a step too far for me.
Thank you for sharing this detail about the challenges of being visible and authentic as a Quaker. It seems to me it applies to many of us in various walks of life and faith.