Woman Who Came Out 5 Years Ago Becomes UK's First Openly Gay Archbishop

Publicly Revealed Same-Sex Partnership in 2020
Maintained Relationship with Same-Sex Partner for About 30 Years

For the first time, the Church in Wales, part of the Anglican Communion in the United Kingdom, has elected a woman who is also an openly gay person as its Archbishop. On August 4, Yonhap News, citing the British daily The Guardian, reported that on July 30, Bishop Cherry of Monmouth was elected Archbishop of the Church in Wales with the approval of more than two-thirds of the diocesan electoral college.

Archbishop Van Monmos from Leicestershire, England. Official website of the Church in Wales

Archbishop Cherry, who is originally from Leicestershire, England, was ordained in 1994 as one of the first female priests in the Church of England. After serving for a long time in the Church of England, Archbishop Cherry was appointed Bishop of Monmouth in the Church in Wales in 2020. Shortly after her appointment, she publicly revealed that she had a same-sex partner, a fact she had kept hidden for many years. According to The Guardian, the Church of England allows homosexuality itself, but requires gay clergy to remain celibate. In contrast, the Church in Wales permits both homosexuality and same-sex partnerships among its clergy.

As the Church in Wales allows same-sex partnerships, Archbishop Cherry has maintained her relationship with her partner for about 30 years. In an interview published by The Guardian on the same day, Archbishop Cherry said, "For years, we kept our relationship secret," and added, "I used to worry that my sexual identity would be exposed on the front page of the newspaper when I woke up in the morning." She continued, "When I was in England, Wendy had to hide upstairs whenever I had gatherings," and added, "Now, we can be together anywhere."

The Guardian described Archbishop Cherry's election as the first female and openly gay Archbishop as "breaking the stained-glass ceiling," a phrase that adds a religious nuance to the concept of the "glass ceiling" that limits women's advancement in society. Archbishop Cherry commented, "This happened because I lived in an era where I had to be a pioneer. But I am not an activist," and added, "If I had not had a firm belief that God called me to be a priest, I would not have survived the struggles within the church hierarchy."

She also said, "Sexual orientation can be hidden to some extent, but gender cannot be hidden," sharing the difficulties she has experienced as a female clergy member. Regarding same-sex marriage, Archbishop Cherry expressed her conviction by saying, "Same-sex marriage in the church is inevitable. It is only a matter of time." However, she added, "There are people who are strongly opposed. As a leader, I must also respect their position, which is based on theology," and noted, "I am not in a position to push through a decision that would alienate a significant number of clergy," expressing a cautious stance.