The EA 2018 bylaws took away voting rights of the groups

I’m writing as an EA organizer, facilitator and member who supports the goals and intent of the changes made to the EA Principles (12 Steps and 12 Traditions). I believe these change are consistent with Helpful Concepts 7 and 8:



    “Emotions Anonymous is a spiritual program, not a religious program. We do not advocate any particular belief system.”



    "The steps suggest a belief in a Power greater than ourselves. This can be human love, a force for good, the group, nature, the universe, God, or any entity a member chooses as a personal Higher Power."
[emphasis mine]




I have been using similar language to the proposed changes when reading the 12 Steps and other EA principles at meetings shortly after I began attending; specifically after I heard other members engaging in the practice, signaling me that it was “okay” to do so. Some of the members I heard using alternate language when reading the principles made modifications to suit their own beliefs or preferences (as supported by the Concepts), e.g. substituting “her” for “him”.



I believe we should always strive to achieve inclusivity, and language matters. Twelve step fellowships in the 21st century should not reflect a Judeo-Christian bias, nor a patriarchal bias, nor any other bias for that matter. There is extensive discussion and recognition of this in It Works If You Work It.



Having said all of that, I am very unhappy and distraught at the manner in which these changes were enacted. While I have been substituting “higher power” for “God” in my own readings at meetings for years, and additionally choose to read slogans e.g. “Easy does it” in place of slogans that explicitly reference God e.g. “Let Go and Let God”, I cannot support processes that violate what is unambiguously stated in the EA Bylaws.



This issue was discussed in the April 2018 EA Connection:



    “Our bylaws clearly state that traditions and steps can be changed if there is approval from AA, which the trustees did request and received permission to change.”



I reviewed a diff of the 2017 and 2018 EA Bylaws.

I see from the 2017 bylaws, ARTICLE 2: GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Steps, Traditions and Concepts:



    2.2 Recognizing their value as inspirational guides for the continued success of EA, the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions shall not be altered in any way.



This section was amended in the 2018 bylaws to read:



    2.2 Recognizing their value as inspirational guides for the continued success of EA, the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions shall not be altered without prior approval from A.A.



Now, from the 2017 bylaws, ARTICLE 8: AMENDING BYLAW



    8.1.2 Bylaw amendments shall be submitted to the membership for ratification.

    8.1.2.1 The membership has 60 days from the date that notification is sent of the bylaw changes to ratify the bylaw changes.

    8.1.3 Amendments to the bylaws shall be ratified by majority vote.

    8.1.4 Votes may be sent by mail, e-mail, facsimile transmission, or received at the business Meeting.



The entire section above was removed from the 2017 bylaws and does not appear in the 2018 bylaws.


The April 2018 EA Connection further claims:



    “The Administrative Concepts and the Bylaws that the trustees must operate under were all followed in making these changes. These guiding documents give the Board the authority to make these changes. A world-wide vote by the EA membership was not required.” [emphasis mine]



As we see from the 2017 and 2018 bylaws, this statement can be true and correct if and only if the membership voted to ratify the amendment to (i.e. the removal of) section 8.1 -- effectively revoking its own stated right to amend the bylaws delineated in the 2017 bylaws, section 8.1.

I have not seen any evidence that the membership took any such vote. Nor can I believe or understand how or why the membership would vote to revoke its own right to ratify amendment of the EA Bylaws. One can only conclude this did not happen.



I have contacted EA International via email regarding these issues, months have passed, and I have received no reply. As I have said, I support the language modifications to the Steps and Traditions. So a potential ally was lost by whoever thought this was a good idea.



Process fairness matters and should be respected. I am deeply disappointed by what I feel was a gross mishandling of this matter. I call on the EA Board of Trustees and Director to reinstate section 8.1 of the 2017 Bylaws in the 2019 Bylaws, and follow the prescribed procedure with respect to any changes it wishes to enact.



In EA fellowship,



Chance K

founder/organizer Emotions Anonymous Chat

founder EAnon International Skype Meeting