The Inclusive Celebrant -
My Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
by
Jennifer
Cram - Brisbane Marriage Celebrant ©
(09/01/2021)
Categories: | Celebrant |

As a
secular humanist whose calling, commitment, and
passion is creating and performing fun, relaxed,
inclusive ceremonies, I believe with my whole heart
that all people are worthy and should be equally
valued and treated with equal respect. Neither
diversity nor inclusion is optional in my world.
And that is why I "rebranded" (hate that word and the
implication that a person or a business reinvents to
attract the customers considered most profitable). By
using
Jennifer Cram The Inclusive Celebrant. I
wanted to spell out my values as succinctly as
possible without hiding my identity.
What embracing diversity
means to me
hter
In common with all Commonwealth-registered marriage
celebrants (the exception being those who have opted
to be classified as
Religious Marriage Celebrants)
I am required to abide by all Australian Federal and
State laws. Which means no unlawful discrimination.
But abiding by the letter of the law is just not good
enough because it doesn't require that each and every
person, regardless of who they are, where they come
from, what their culture is, or who they love, is
supported and above all, appreciated.
I want every per

son I provide services for to know that
they are both respected and appreciated, which means
I
welcome everyone, couples and singles, with open
arms.
"
Jennifer, we chose you because you default to
awesome and leave out the gender bias, religion,
over-explanation, tasteless jokes, awkward vows and
dreary biographical readings that I've experienced
in other weddings. - Tony and Leslie."
To spell out the detail, for me embracing diversity
means
- I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the
land on which I live and work, together with the
many different nations who are custodians of the
land and waters across the wider Brisbane region.
I pay my respects to the elders, past and present,
as the holders of the memories, the traditions,
the culture, and the spiritual wellbeing of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
across this state.
- I welcome, support, and celebrate people
- of all races, all religious beliefs, including
no belief, from all countries of origin,
regardless of your visa status
- of all gender identities and sexual
orientations
- of all ages
- of all educational backgrounds
- regardless of their individual abilities.
disabilities, or state of health
- I welcome your kids, both human and fur kids
- I respect and support your language preferences
and facilitate your use of the language(s) you are
most comfortable with
What ensuring inclusion
means for me
Inclusion means, quite simply, doing my best to make
sure you feel comfortable, valued, and respected. To
this end I make every effort
- to use inclusive language
- to use your preferred pronouns (mine are
she/her)
- to be respectful
- to encourage you to share your knowledge and
experience with me
- to be open about my values and to listen to your
thoughts and opinions with an open mind
- to be honest and ask for your input when I
am unfamiliar with aspects of your culture,
beliefs, or lived experience
- to call out bullying and hate speech whenever
and however I come across it
Spelling it out
I will joyfully officiate both legal and non-legal
ceremonies for
- same-sex couples
- interracial couples
- intercultural couples
- non-binary couples
- interfaith couples (yes, in a civil ceremony in
Australia you are allowed to express your own
personal spiritual or religious beliefs and I will
facilitate that if you wish)
- divorced persons
- May-December couples
- transgender persons
- intersex persons