[UUPoly-L] GA Day 3

["Moonstorm Erosong" <mnstrm@erosong.net>]

Another long and enjoyable day at the booth in the exhibit hall.  Lot's more pleasant interactions with UUs, some enthusiastic, some troubled, but all respectful.
 
In the afternoon I attended an "Open Space" session which was sort of a brainstorming session on how the UUA and its congregations can accomodate all varieties of families.  There were only three of us in the session, one a Director of Religious Education from a church near Portland.  The other was a lady from a church in Port Townsend, Washington, who was the monther of a psychiatrically troubled child.  Both of the ladies immediately identified my buttons as polyamory buttons, and they listened quite earnestly and sympathetically to my concerns about uneven and unpredictable treatment of poly families in UU churches.  In the end we generated a statement for the UUA Board of Trustees recommending improvements in resources and educational materials regarding the needs of various kinds of unconventional families, including polyamorous ones.
 
In the evening I had dinner with my sister Val, Rene (UUPA member from Las Vegas), and Rene's husband and wife, and Joani from Oakland CA.  
 
I continue to be impressed this year with how many people I'm meeting that already know about polyamory and seem sincerely concerned about providing positive experiences for poly people and poly families within UU congregations.  
 
Blessings,
 
'Storm
Moonstorm Erosong
mnstrm@erosong.net