At the Alcoholics Anonymous 71st General Service Conference in 2021, (an online event because of the pandemic,) two changes to the Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions were approved.
- A revision on page 117, replacing the phrase “opposite sex” with the word “partner.”
- A revision on page 66, replacing “No one wants to be angry enough to murder, lustful enough to rape, gluttonous enough to ruin his health,” with “No one wants to commit the deadly sins of anger, lust or gluttony.”
On the surface, one might not object to the nature of these changes, but the bigger issue is that these changes were made without the typical committee review process, which includes soliciting input from the groups.
It is also worth noting that the 1995 Advisory Action was completely ignored, (that the first 164 pages of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Preface, the Forewords, “The Doctor’s Opinion,” “Doctor Bob’s Nightmare,” and the Appendices would not be changed.)
This 1995 Advisory Action reinforced the “slippery slope” concern, which recognized that even a seemingly minor revision could lead to endless future changes.
Some of the most progressive advocates for change have called for a complete overhaul of the Big Book, using gender neutral pronouns throughout, replacing outdated references (like “whoopee” party on page 101) and far less emphasis on the Christian concept of God. In fact, a Simple Language version of the Big Book was approved at that same 71st General Service Conference and a draft is already complete.
The argument for change centers around inclusivity, but if someone has a better solution why don’t they write their own book? Maybe because a stamp of approval from G.S.O. (conference approved literature) means groups around the world will buy the publication without questioning who wrote it, who changed it, why they changed it – and most important, what kind of impact will the more “inclusive” message have on a newcomer’s ability to achieve sobriety?
Also at that same 71st General Service Conference, a change was approved to the A.A. Preamble. The words “men and women” were replaced by the word “people” in the first sentence. Discussion of this change had begun a couple of years prior, after the more inclusive language was initially suggested to the General Service Board.
The theme at that 71st General Service Conference was aptly, “A.A. in a Time of Change.” The report of the conference included a quote which A.A. co-founder Bill W. had made more than sixty years earlier.
“We live in an era of change. Our Twelve Steps probably won’t change; the Traditions, not at all likely. But our manner of communication, our manner of organizing ourselves for function, for service—let us hope that this goes on changing for the better, forever.”
Bill W., 1960 GSC talk
Some interpret that quote as a blanket license to change anything and everything, but A.A. Member X believes that it clarifies what should and should not be changed. We are in a period of A.A.’s evolution where we must change how our fellowship is organized for function and service so that the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are protected and that the original message of A.A. is available for any and all newcomers, (even if they haven’t been born yet.)