Christianity and the Transgender

For many of us, it seems that we as Transgender people and Christianity mixes just as well as oil and water. Many of us has been hurt, oppressed, or abused by the Christian Church. So many of us had sadly never transitioned to our preferred gender because of the social stigmas placed upon us by the Church. I was the same way.

I had gone to an Assemblies of God Bible College and had pastored in a number of Conservative Christian Churches. While I ministered to those in my churches, I had always kept my true identity hidden; very hidden. While I never publicly followed the conservative rhetoric of the condemnation of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi Sexual and Transgender), I cringed and died a little inside everytime someone who professed love in Christ could be so condemning of anyone who did not fit their mold of an ideal Christian follower.

After my ex had left me and taken my children from way in the name of Jesus, I had given up all hope of religion. It would have been so easy for me to just be an Atheist but I knew in my heart that I believed in a Creator. Now, I had to restart my journey to figure out if the Creator I had worshipped was only in my head, did not exist or really was this God "who hated fags."

I was in dire search of so many things in my life two years ago. Not only was I trying to rediscover who I truly am, but I needed to know if there was something out there that was bigger than anything that held any creadible belief that a higher power did exist.

As I searched for new job opportunities, the vocation of Ministry was last on my list. I was in a period of transition from male to female and everything that I knew about Christianity made this dream about as obtainable as me winning the Gold Medal in the Olympic Figure Skating sport.

However, I refused to give up.

I had been about 5 months into my transition when I discovered a website hosted by the United Church of Christ and they had a page entirely devoted to LGBT causes. Never in my life have I seen such a site. I had always knew about the issues with the Episcopal Churches accepting LGBT but I had always heard it through the lips of a Conservative Christian believer and it was never uplifting.

After finding a seminary and applying, I had been accepted to Lancaster Theological Seminary as Annah. My first day as Annah was actually the first day of classes. I received nothing but overwhelming support from these Christian students, faculty, and administration.

During my time here, my theological perspectives had become much more interfaith and I learned something valuable: there was so many churches that embrace LGBT people. My eyes had been so shielded by the Conservative Church that any notion of Progressive Churches that embraced "queer" people was just a dream. It seems, my dreams had come true.

If you are struggling with you own issues in regards to Christianity and your own sexuality or gender orientation, I urge you to not throw in the towel just yet. Many churches are embracing us. One girl I had talked to said she lived in an area of Michigan where she knew no churches would accept her. After literally just 2 minutes of searching, I found a church that was open and affirming to LGBT people. So never give up. There are more churches that are not close minded than you think!

To get you started, the United Church of Christ, the Metropolitan Community Church, Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America, the Episcopal Church, The Unitarian Universalist Churches, the Disciples of Christ, Progressive Mennonite Churches, The United Methodist are close to passing a clergy law to allow LGBT clergy to be ordained, Presbyterian Church USA, many Quakers, Unification Church, United Church of Canada, Unity School of Christianity and Waldensian churches embraces and ordains LGBT people.

If you are other faiths (these faiths embraces LGBT):

Almost all Earth Based religions such as Heathenism, Wiccan, Druidism, Neo Paganism all embrace LGBT people.

Jewish:

Conservative and Reformed Judaism all embrace LGBT

Islam:

Sufi and New Nation of Islam embraces LGBT

Buddism

Our western "concept of LGBT" is accepted by Hindus

There are so many more out there!

Just remember, if you think all hope is lost because God "hates queer people" please know that these churches are just one viewpoint. There are so many religious institutions that embrace us for who we are and  not what Levitical law we uphold.