It took 35 years before I was ready to begin grappling with my gender identity, and nearly another four to truly accept I was transgender. There's no single path to follow on a journey like this, but I hope sharing my story and struggles might be helpful for others.
I know there are some of you who might not understand what it means to be trans, or might object to my embracing this aspect of myself. I ask you to take the time to at least read my story and my thoughts on what this means for my faith to appreciate where I'm coming from. Thank you for your time!
No worries! It has been an educational journey for me too :). If this is a new topic for you, then I recommend starting here:
This fantastic image (which I first came across on Reddit) helped me start reconciling my reality with my beliefs. You can see more great works of art (or even buy a digital license or print of this like I did) at NakedPastor.com!I have a lot to say and think on the topic of faith, and I ideally wanted to have this section written before I came out to anyone.
But the reality of composing and expressing those thoughts has been a lot more involved than I anticipated! I've reached a point where the hope, confidence, security in my faith and joy of living as I am has outpaced my ability to express it all in words (which I guess isn't a bad thing).
So this is a work in progress - if you don't see much here yet (but are willing to hear what I have to say), please check back or reach out and nudge me to finish it :).
At least take a look at the comic to the right! For all of my doubts and worries, when I saw image this my first and only thought was "that is how Jesus would act."
I might not be able to speak directly with everyone when I come out. For those believing there is confict between being trans and being a Christian, I recognize the strong likelihood that discomfort and rejection might get in the way of us talking.
it's primarily for those dear people - friends and family I love who feel there is a fundamental barrier between us - that I'm writing this. I want to compose my experience, struggles and conclusions for you in the hopes that it gives us a chance to stay connected.
So if news of my transition spurred a negative reaction in you (particularly from a faith perspective), I ask - in light of our shared past - if you'll take the time to read this and be willing to see where I'm coming from.
For as long as I can recall thinking about my gender, I also grappled with a significant fear: that being me was somehow *morally* wrong.
Growing up in the 80s and early 90s, no one told me that being trans was bad or good. No one said anything about it at all. "Transgender" wasn't a word in the vocabuary of anyone I encountered; not in any book I read or on any show I watched.
By the time references to trans people appeared in my universe later in the 90s, it was as the butt of a joke on a sitcom, or as a person to gasp at and laugh about on tabloid TV.
[more to come - conclusion spoiler: it is cool (& joyous & faithful & righteous) to be me!]
