Not All The Same

This is something that I have been saying for a long time, but paint people, religions, races, and all the other things that divide us with a broad brush. We are all unique.

There are many religions that are very accepting of trans people.

Christian Attitudes to Transgender People Are Changing
Huffington Religion
By Duncan J. Dormor
Posted: 12/04/2015

God made man and woman: separate, opposite and at least, in some ways, some of the time, equal. That is often thought of as the Christian view. But, despite much opposition, trans people are increasingly being welcomed within our churches. And not just welcomed, but asked to take a lead; that is accepted and authorized as ministers, pastors, priests -- as those entrusted to teach and lead and guide and care.

I recently undertook a mapping exercise of Christian churches across the US and Europe to support a project considering the legal rights of transgender and transsexual persons in a global context. And, speaking as a sociologist (activists, very naturally, would take a different view), there has been a surprising amount of change over the last decade. An increasing number of the larger mainstream Protestant denominations now accept and welcome transgender Christians in their congregations and in roles of leadership, and conduct marriages involving transgender people.

The first transgender minister in the USA, Sky Anderson, was ordained back in 1979 with the pioneering, one might say prophetic, Metropolitan Community Church. Now that change is coming into the mainstream of American (Protestant) Christianity, with transgender Christians accepted as ministers in the United Church of Christ in 2003, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America in 2009, The Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2010 and The Episcopal Church in 2012.

At the Transgender Day of Remembrance that was held at the local MCC rectory there were a number of religions leaders that attended it, including a Bishop.

Jesus taught his disciples to be skeptical of the wealthy, the powerful and the religious of the day. He taught them, and us, to look beyond, to rethink our ideas of who belongs and to recognize, to truly see those on the margins. His radical challenge is for every generation, and transgender Christian leaders are increasingly able to be the ones who give voice to that vision.

I think many “evangelical” Christians have it backwards, they worship power and money while shunning the oppressed but there are many more that minister to the oppressed.