As we honor and celebrate Trans Awareness Week, we pause today to honor the journeys of transgender and gender nonconforming people of faith by sharing the 10 journey stories below. These blogs are all written by transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, Two Spirit, and gender nonconforming people of faith, a majority of whom identify as Christian.

While these stories share the perspectives of individuals, they also cast a vision for our collective future. They cast a vision of the new life our faith can inhabit when our faith traditions truly affirm and support the trans and gender non-conforming people in our midst.

Too often, trans and gender nonconforming people experience spiritual abuse at the hands of our churches rather than the affirmation they deserve. Today, I call on Christians to join me in creating a faith that is not diminished by transphobia, racism, and misogyny—three sins that all contribute to violence against our trans and gender non-conforming siblings.

Today, I affirm these individuals as the very presence of God in our midst.

1. A Letter To Mi Querida Iglesia
   by delfin w. bautista—Director, Ohio University LGBT Center
2. Coming Out…Again
   by Rev. Louis Mitchell—Community Engagement Consultant, Transfaith
3. Discovering My Bisexual Christian Identity
   by Hannah Rachel Soldner—Actual Transgender Christian
4. Mormon In Montana: My Experience Of LGBTQ Youth Homelessness
   by Bentley Burdick—Writer & Advocate
5. How I Face My Anxiety & Fears
   by JJ Marie Gufreda—Author, Playwright, Performer
6. Transitions May Be Tough, But My Faith Is Tougher
   by Colleen Fay—Musician, Minister
7. How This Transgender Latina Found Her Way Back To Faith 
   by Nicole Garcia—Registered Psychotherapist
8. When Revolution Comes
   by Taj M. Smith
9. How My Gender Journey Became My Resurrection
   by Rev. Kim Sorrells—Ordained Minister, United Church of Christ
10. Whitewashed, Reconciled, & Thankful
    by Lynn Young—Seminarian, Chicago Theological Seminary

If you loved these stories, you’ll love our lists from 2015 and 2014 as well!

And finally, if you’re a trans or gender nonconforming Christian, and you’d like to share your story with us, fill out this form!

Image created by Believe Out Loud using photo via flickr user Alvin Trusty