When Christian Compassion Doesn’t Apply to Transgender People

A black and white photo of a stethoscope on a wall.

During the holidays, I noticed a Franciscan Health commercial with the hashtag #FranciscanPeacePrayer. This beautiful prayer, attributed to St. Francis in the 13th century, was repeated during the commercial. The visuals in the ad showed smiling people helping each other and showing love.  Here is a link if you want to check it out. I…

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Cisgender Solidarity With Black Trans Women

A Board Saying All Lives Matter

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…

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Young, Trans, and Afraid of the Bathroom

Editor’s Note: Today, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice made it clear that they will not uphold guidelines designed to help schools support transgender students. Our faith tells us trans students deserve to be treated with dignity and respect—this includes the ability to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with who they are.…

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Painting Emily For Transgender Day Of Remembrance

Pregnant silhouette with radiant heart

Trigger Warning: description of depression and suicide Her name was Emily. As a pastor, I was always happy to have someone new visit the congregation.  So I was particularly thrilled when Emily scheduled a meeting with me after visiting worship for the first time. During our meeting, Emily shared that she identified as transgender woman,…

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Transgender Awareness Is Not Enough

Purple banner with white text supporting LGBTQI justice

I am sick of Transgender Awareness. November is a month that has become riddled with our religious allies checking off the box for transgender “issues”—often with a special service that turns the death of transgender women of color into a sort of morbid pageant. It is an annual performance of care and concern that seems…

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Being Trans In An Age Of Violence

Two red doors on a brick wall.

Trigger warning: description of transphobia, violence, and physical assault I grew up in Northern Mexico, the Republic of Texas, and learned to think thru my body and not only depend on rational thinking per se. As an always gender non-conforming person who later found a home in naming themselves a non-binary Transgender person, I have…

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I am Angry, & My Faith Tells Me I Can Do Something About It

A group of people holding up their fists at a protest.

I am very angry, and I am usually the consensus builder. The racial tension, violence, and the growing backlash to marriage equality and trans visibility makes the everyday life feels like a powder keg. There needs to be some kind of release from all the pain, anger, suffering and injustice.  This summer I reached the…

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Christians Join Protests Of North Carolina’s House Bill 2

Two-line Believe OUTLOUD typographic logo with cross

Contact: James Rowe Director, Believe Out Loud Email James 646-723-7826 Christians Join Protests Of North Carolina’s House Bill 2 Believe Out Loud Delivers Signatures From 2,111 LGBTQ-Affirming Christians Against HB2 New York, NY—Believe Out Loud delivered signatures this morning from 2,111 Christians demanding that North Carolina lawmakers repeal House Bill 2, a transphobic law that…

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Governor McCrory Should Look To Georgia On LGBT Rights

A man standing at a podium in front of an american flag.

ADD YOUR NAME: Tell North Carolina Lawmakers To Repeal HB2 From a distance, Gov. Nathan Deal and Gov. Pat McCrory appear to be similar. Both are conservative governors of Southern states where religion plays a strong role in public and private lives. They both live and govern during times of rapid change, particularly with the…

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1,779 Christians Support Transgender Students In Tennessee

Black OUTLOUD text and colorful brackets around cross

Contact: James Rowe Director, Believe Out Loud Email James 646-723-7826 1,779 Christians Support Transgender Students In Tennessee Bill Sponsor Withdraws HB 2414 After Transgender Students & Allies Deliver 67,000 Signatures New York, NY—Today, Tennessee’s harmful anti-transgender bathroom bill was withdrawn after lawmakers received petitions with more than 67,000 signatures. These petitions included signatures from 1,779…

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