Recently, I wrote a letter to CFI to offer my support for Ron Lindsay. CFI have now responded to all correspondence:
The mission of the Center for Inquiry is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.
The Center for Inquiry, including its CEO, is dedicated to advancing the status of women and promoting women’s issues, and this was the motivation for its sponsorship of the two Women in Secularism conferences. The CFI Board wishes to express its unhappiness with the controversy surrounding the recent Women in Secularism Conference 2.
CFI believes in respectful debate and dialogue. We appreciate the many insights and varied opinions communicated to us. Going forward, we will endeavor to work with all elements of the secular movement to enhance our common values and strengthen our solidarity as we struggle together for full equality and respect for women around the world.
This is a statement that I think all rational people can get behind. There’s no need for someone to ‘translate’ it into something that is easier to attack. The vastly overblown controversy following Dr. Lindsay’s welcome talk was unfortunate; moving forward we ought to promote civil debate and dialogue where possible. The pursuit of equality and respect for women (and other minorities) within our movement is paramount to a successful and ethical organisation, and if we are really serious about overcoming barriers to equality for women and minorities then we must engage in a respectful, open and robust conversation. Yes, there will be disagreements along the way. But what we are after is productivity and progress, not othering and demonisation. I feel CFI’s statement, while brief, captures this idea nicely.
