The testimony of equality is rooted in our belief that there is that of God in every person. When taken fully to heart, this conviction lays on us the obligation to treat each person with respect, in the understanding that God may speak to us through any voice. The practical manifestations of this belief have been many. From early in Quaker history, Friends acknowledged the gifts and rights of women. Much later Friends accepted that they were participating in the evils of slavery and freed their own slaves. As time has passed, Friends have been called to act and to speak out against the blatant mistreatment and deprivation of many.

Friends believe that everyone is a child of God and that we should relate to one another in those terms. Each person is of infinite worth and is to be treated as someone who can be drawn by love, to live a full and worthwhile life, which manifests respect and consideration for others. When Friends are at their best, that love leads to unity in our Meetings.

Equality is at the heart of our conviction that the truth can be revealed to every person. Friends are called to hallow the ordinary, to see the Divine at work everywhere, and to answer that work wherever we find it. Friends have been led not only to see discrimination and injustice, but also to translate that awareness into action, living our lives with honor, with respect, and with fairness. Friends and other seekers may indeed be on different paths; our journeys may lead to unaccustomed places. That diversity is a strength which teaches us the value of new visions, new perspectives, new ways to live in the Light.