Dorothy McRae-McMahon

Dorothy McRae-McMahon (born 1934) is a retired Australian Uniting Church minister and activist, formerly Minister at Pitt Street Uniting Church—known for its human rights work and local "street level" activism.[1]

McRae-McMahon has been a feminist Christian trailblazer since the 1970s. Involved in women's liberation, human rights, anti-apartheid, anti-Vietnam War and in religious and spiritual matters.[2]

Coming out as a lesbian at the age of 50, McRae-McMahon created a major stir and homophobic attacks, engendering public discussion and acceptance of homosexual clergy.[2]

McRae-McMahon volunteers at a Uniting Church parish, co-edits the South Sydney Herald, speaks at public forums and writes.[2]

Early life, marriage and children

Dorothy McRae was born in 1934 in Zeehan, Tasmania, Australia where her Methodist Minister father had been appointed to his first parish.[3] She married Barrie McMahon in 1956 and lived in Melbourne, Victoria. Originally a pre-school teacher, McRae-McMahon spent 16 years at home caring for her four children, born between 1957 and 1969: Christopher Barrie, Robert Anthony, Lindy Louise and Melissa.[4] The eldest, Christopher had an intellectual disability and went into autistic withdrawal shortly after Robert's birth.[5] In 1964 the family moved to Sydney, where McRae-McMahon joined the Australian Labor Party and became involved in peace activism.[6]

In 1987 McRae-McMahon ended her marriage, recognising herself as a lesbian, an identity she made public in 1997, declaring that she had been living in a committed same-sex relationship for many years.[6]

Work and activism

McRae-McMahon began her training in the ordained ministry of the Uniting Church in 1976. On ordination in 1982 she was appointed to Sydney's Pitt Street Church where she gathered a congregation committed to a range of activist causes. Their involvement in the anti-apartheid cause attracted the attention of right wing group National Action, which led to a campaign of harassment against the Minister and her congregation.[6][7]

McRae-McMahon has been a Minister in the Uniting Church, a National Director for Mission of the Uniting Church in Australia (1993) and was the first woman to become Moderator of the World Council of Churches Worship Committee. She was instrumental in 'Mothers and Others for Peace', 'Christian Women Concerned', the first Church Commission on the Status of Women and the publication of the Australian Christian feminist magazine Magdalene (newsletter).[2]

In 1997 McRae-McMahon came out as a lesbian at the National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Perth. She resigned from her position later that year.[1] An episode of Australian Story was broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation about her life, family and relationship with the Uniting Church.[8]

McRae-McMahon became a leader in the successful campaign to have homosexual ministers formally accepted by the Uniting Church, arguing that homosexuality is a sign of wholeness rather than moral decay.[9]

McRae-McMahon had occupied a position of power within the Uniting Church but found she was more comfortable embracing a theology of moving to the edge—believing 'the margins are the places where Christ is closest to us'.[10]

Published works

Contributions

Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions
  • 1977: Jubilee Medal from the Queen for work with women in NSW.[6]
  • 1987: Australian Government Peace Medal.[11]
  • 1988: Australian Human Rights Medal.[12]
  • 1992: Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Macquarie University for her work with minorities and contribution to the spiritual life of the community.[11][13]
  • 2014: Grand Stirrer award recipient, Edna Ryan Awards.[14][15]
  • 2016: Community Hero Award ACON Awards.[16]

Notes and references
  1. "The Australian Women's Register". www.womenaustralia.info. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  2. "The Grand Stirrer Award" (PDF). www.ednaryan.net.au. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  3. McRae-McMahon, Dorothy (2004). Memoirs of Moving On: A life of faith, passion and resilience. Paddington,NSW: Jane Curry Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 1-920727-09-4.
  4. McRae-McMahon, Dorothy (2004). Memoirs of Moving On: A life of faith, passion and resilience. Paddington,NSW: Jane Curry Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 1-920727-09-4.
  5. McRae-McMahon, Dorothy (2004). Memoirs of Moving On: A life of faith , passion and resilience. Paddington,NSW: Jane Curry Publishing. pp. 74–75. ISBN 1-920727-09-4.
  6. Swain, Shurlee (2014). "McRae-McMahon, Dorothy". The Encyclopedia of Women & Leadership in Twentieth-Century Australia.
  7. Williams, Graham (19 August 1988). "Hate comes to Rev Dorothy's church". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  8. "Dorothy McRae McMahon: Australian Story". YouTube. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  9. Zwartz, Barney (17 July 2003). "Uniting Church Set to Approve Gay Ordinations". The Age. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  10. McRae-McMahon, Dorothy (July 1998). "Living on the Margins[homosexuals and the church]". Lesbians on the Loose. 9 (7): 9 – via APAIS.
  11. "McRae-McMahon, Dorothy (1934-)". Trove National Library of Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  12. "Human Rights Awards 2017, Previous Winners (1988)". Australian Human Rights Commission. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  13. "Dorothy McRae-McMahon". Simon&Schuster Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  14. "Dorothy McRae-Mchahon". Edna Ryan Awards. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  15. Turnbull, Lyn (8 November 2014). "Stirring up the status quo". The South Sydney Herald. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  16. "Honour Our 2016 Award Recipients". Honour LGBTI Community Awards. 1 August 2017.
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