Transgender

Trans still speaking united church of christ.

Trans Still Speaking in the United Church of Christ

By pwsbuilder / August 7, 2017 / Comments Off on Trans Still Speaking in the United Church of Christ

“…for not with you alone am I making this covenant, but both with those who stand here with us today, before our God, and with those who are not here with us today.” Deuteronomy 29:14-15 The sages say that God gave Torah to the people in the wilderness because, without the teaching, the world is a…

Read More

Banning Transgender People From Military Service Is Morally Wrong

By pwsbuilder / July 26, 2017 /

I’m an Iraq War veteran who is a trans woman, and let me tell you: banning transgender people from military service is morally wrong. In 2003, I enlisted in the North Carolina National Guard at the age of eighteen.  I knew I needed to pay for college, and I needed some money to live on.…

Read More
A group of people on a beach near a body of water.

Lost Adrift, Or Deeply Rooted?

By pwsbuilder / June 22, 2017 / Comments Off on Lost Adrift, Or Deeply Rooted?

The annual conference I attended last week with Reconciling Ministries Network was like other trips to annual conferences in many ways—except for one small feature. It was at the beach, Jekyll Island specifically. By recommendation of a friend, on my last night there, I went over to driftwood beach. This section of the island can…

Read More
A group of people in white robes standing in front of a podium.

United Methodist Church commissions first non-binary trans person as a Deacon

By pwsbuilder / June 7, 2017 / Comments Off on United Methodist Church commissions first non-binary trans person as a Deacon

Chicago – The first openly non-binary trans person was commissioned as a deacon in The United Methodist Church (The UMC) on Sunday, June 4th in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference. Rev. M Barclay, who uses singular they pronouns, is appointed by Bishop Sally Dyck to serve as a deacon at Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). RMN…

Read More

Largest-Ever Gathering of Trans Unitarian Universalist Leaders

By pwsbuilder / May 30, 2017 / Comments Off on Largest-Ever Gathering of Trans Unitarian Universalist Leaders

From April 10-13, the second-ever retreat was held of TRUUsT, Transgender Religious professional Unitarian Universalists Together, in Palm Harbor, Florida. Twenty-seven trans leaders and two allied Unitarian Universalist Association staff gathered together for community, worship, and organizing to support the many varied ministries of trans people within Unitarian Universalism. Attendees were directors of religious education,…

Read More

Easter Through The Years: My Trans Resurrection Story

By pwsbuilder / April 16, 2017 /

Growing up in an evangelical Christian home, my family was invested in maintaining certain Judeo-Christian holiday traditions. Easter Sunday was no exception; it was a day rooted in chocolate pastels, family dinner, and most notably for me: new accessories. Regardless of my gender assigned at birth, I’ve always loved accessories.  I went through a time…

Read More
A group of people holding a sign that says trans up front.

Growing Up Trans—Without Male Privilege

By pwsbuilder / April 5, 2017 /

Trigger warning: discussion of suicide Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s comments about her understanding of what “transness” is set off a firestorm last month. In an interview, she said trans women live in the world with “privileges that the world accords to men” prior to transition. I’m not sure if Ms. Adichie made these statements based on…

Read More
A Board Saying All Lives Matter

Cisgender Solidarity With Black Trans Women

By pwsbuilder / March 8, 2017 / Comments Off on Cisgender Solidarity With Black Trans Women

You would think that we, those of us belonging to the LGBTQ community of faith would be mourning you and conspiring towards how we can work to protect you and cherish you in our communities. However, the silence around your death, Chyna Gibson, is deafening. As a black queer cisgender woman, I know that pain…

Read More

It’s Up to Us (Always Has Been)

By pwsbuilder / March 7, 2017 / Comments Off on It’s Up to Us (Always Has Been)

One of the most frustrating and emotionally and spiritually damaging aspects of Transgender justice work is the persistent confrontation with silence. There is always a moment when individuals, organizations of all kinds, family members or friends, communities of faith, and government entities have an opportunity to offer care, kindness and compassion into our lives as…

Read More

An Open Pastoral Letter To The Trans Community

By pwsbuilder / February 23, 2017 /

Brothers, Sisters and Siblings, I see the posts. I see the words of hate people scrawl through the comments section, through the tweets and Facebooks status updates. I see the pictures of trans celebrities that get attacked and misgendered. I see the people standing outside of buildings with picket signs. I see the petitions and…

Read More