Welcome to the Workshop
Trans-forming: Holding Faith in a Non-Binary God
Week 1: Welcome
Pastor Vikki Randall, DMin.
Welcome! Our first week of Trans-forming is all about creating welcome. We have a diverse group, each with their own story. This week we got a glimpse of your hearts, what motivates you to dig deeper. So today I celebrate the courageous first step.
Our desire at Haven is to be a safe space. It's a safe space for gay, lesbian, bi, transgender and queer folks. But it is also safe space for people who are conflicted about all those things. People who are not sure what they think. Many, but not all, who join us come from evangelical settings, places that don't affirm those things. But regardless of how we got here, all of us have had a journey and are still on a journey. We want to make this a safe space to ask questions, have strong convictions or to be uncertain. Free to not know everything.
Joining me in leading the workshop are two remarkable members of our Haven leadership team: Brittany Burian and Lina Myvold. Both are LMFTs with years of experience helping individuals and families navigate shifting waters of change.
We'll do a lot of sharing in both large and small groups. Please know that everything shared here is to be kept confidential. Sharing is an invitation to authenticity, but it is always optional. In this workshop you will be invited to share on chat or out loud or not at all, as deeply or as shallowly as you wish.
Questions are encouraged! You can ask questions as they come up or email me privately if you don't want to share with the whole group. We'll try to address as many questions as possible thru our time together. Remember, though, that there is always a range of beliefs—in this group, in Christianity, in our community. I don't have all the answers. I'll share what I can, and provide resources when I can find them. And we can be a resource for one another.
Listening Deeply
This is a workshop for trans allies and wannabe allies. We have a number of trans and non-binary leaders in Haven. We treasure their voices and the contributions they make to our community. But this workshop is for allies. It is our job, as allies, to learn, listen and grow.
And yet, hearing trans and non-binary voices is so very important to this work. That begins, of course with your transgender and non-binary friends and family. When they choose to share their story with you—please listen. Believe them. Thank them for trusting you with their story.
It is often said that "if you know one transgender person, you know one transgender person." Each has their own unique experience and perspectives. In our workshop we will have the opportunity to hear several of those voices. The main text we will use beautifully weaves together the voices of five transgender Christians. We will bring in additional voices each week in the form of readings, videos, and other media. This first week, Brittany began our time by reading a beautiful chapter from Untamed by Glennon Doyle that introduced some of those thoughts and voices.
Why We Gather
The work we will do together is important. It is, in fact, life-and-death. The 2014 National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 90% of transgender and non-binary persons have experienced discrimination or harassment at work; 26% have been fired for who they are. Tragically, 57% experience significant family rejection, with19% becoming homeless due to their gender identity. Transpeople experience disproportionate rates of poverty, job discrimination, bullying in school and harassment by law enforcement.
In 2020, 44 transgender people were murdered in the US, 375 worldwide. The majority of these deaths were women of color, experiencing the triple impact of sexism, transphobia, racism.
The end result of all this is tragic. We learn that 41% of trans persons attempted suicide in the last year (compared with only 1.5% of the general population). This does not appear to be a result of anything inherent to gender identity itself, bur rather the result of what has been called "minority stress." Minority stress is the shared experience of anyone in a marginalized community, living in a hostile environment of rejection and physical or emotional violence. This constant stress can lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts and actions.
That's sobering. It is heartbreaking. But there is hope.
Transgender and non-binary youth who reported having at least one gender-affirming space had 25% reduced odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year. The impact of just once space, one relationship—a parent, a teacher, a pastor, a friend—can turn around these heartbreaking statistics. So a compelling reason for churches, families and communities to have these discussions is that it is literally-life saving. (Stats drawn from Austen Hartke, Matthew Vines, and The Trevor Project)
Why is this happening now?
To many, discussion of gender identity and diversity seems to have come out of nowhere. It can feel confusing and overwhelming. Earlier this year, Time magazine published a report entitled: How Gen Z Changed its Views on Gender, exploring stark generational differences when it comes to gender identity. They found that Gen Z young adults are much more likely to report identifying as either trans or non-binary than other generations. While only 1 out of 1,000 Boomers report they are transgender (one-tenth of 1%), 23 out of 1,000 Gen Z young adults (2.30%) identify as trans—20 times more.
Fewer than 1% of Boomers identify as non-binary (we'll start breaking down these terms next week), compared to more than 3% of Gen Z young adults. That means 1 out of 18 young adults identified as something other than male or female in 2021 and 2022, representing about 2 million young adults.
This significant generational shift can make it feel like gender diversity is a new thing. But, as we'll see, gender diversity has always existed. It is found to an incredible degree among the animal kingdom, with some truly remarkable variations that are anything but binary. And it has always existed in human societies. We have always had gender diverse people in our communities, with many cultures recognizing and celebrating "two spirit" people.
And yet, as the Time article suggested, for boomers and other older folks (I'm a bottom-of-the-baby-boomer) it seems like its rising now. But as we look at all of the data from biology and anthropology, I would conclude that is not actually more prevalent but is becoming more visible for several reasons:
1. As we've become more knowledgeable about gender identity, people have a name for what they are experiencing.
2. For that reason, to some degree it's become more acceptable and easier to come out. But it's very important to recognize that there's significant backlash to this generational shift, leaving many transgender and non-binary persons under attack.
3. The rise of puberty blockers has pushed the question earlier. This is a vital tool, which allows youth who are experiencing gender dysphoria the ability to put a pause on puberty and the development of secondary sex characteristics.
Resources
We will be bringing in a number of resources for this workshop. Two in particular are Transforming: by Austen Hartke and Beyond a Binary God: A Theology for Trans Allies by Tara Soughers.
What I love about Austen's book:
1. it has beautiful theology—he is a biblical scholar, and it shows. He digs deep.
2. He shares his own story, but those of other trans Christians as well.
3. Austen is wise in looking at the big picture. Transgender Christians are more than just their gender identity. He helps us move on to abundant life.
We will cover 2-3 short chapters of Hartke's book each week. While it's helpful to read along, it's not required-- I will summarize. We will read slightly out of order so watch the schedule.
But what I will urge you to do is pay attention to the homework assignments—ways to put what you're learning in action. All but one were written by the author. They are simple, and will take less than an hour a week, but will be so helpful in moving forward as a trans ally. I also recommend that you set aside a regular time each week for reflection, in whatever way you do this best—whether that's journaling, going for a walk, or talking over what you're learning with a friend or partner.
I will bring in selections from Soughers book throughout the workshop, especially in week 4. I appreciate her work because she is respectful of the trans community, but doesn't "cis-splain"—she doesn't try to speak for trans and non-binary Christians. She gives those of us for whom this is very new a space to learn, grow, and question. She reminds us that cis-gender Christians have much we can gain for ourselves by including transgender Christians. We need each other
As we think about beginning this study as trans allies, I love this description from Soughers: "Trans people do not represent disruptions of our community life, but are, instead, gifts from our gracious God that open us to new understandings—not only about human nature, but also about the nature of God, in whose image we are made. Our challenge is to accept and to be thankful for the gifts our trans members bring our communities—gifts that, like all of God's gifts, require us to grow in ways that may not be easy or comfortable."
Looking at Scripture
We will spend time each week looking at Scripture together. For most of us, the Bible is a source of authority—a place we turn to for truth and for guidance. And yet, even devout Christians have a range of views of the Bible. Some believe every word is literally the words of God's own self. Some feel the Bible is a book written by men (and perhaps a woman or two) a long time ago, mainly of historical interest. In between those extremes are a range of more nuanced beliefs— the Bible is inspired by God in a way that the words of humans are intermingled with a movement of God's Spirit, or that the Bible is the best picture we have of God. All of these views co-exist within modern as well as historic Christianity. The diverse range of views within this group will be a strength that helps us to think more deeply about what we believe and why.
One passage that is often used as a "clobber verse" to denounce or challenge transgender Christians is Psalm 139:
You created my inmost being and stitched me together in my mother’s womb. For all these mysteries I thank you— for the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works— my soul knows it well. My frame was not hidden from you while I was being made in that secret place, knitted together in the depths of the earth; your eyes saw my body even there. All of my days were written in your book, all of them planned before even the first of them came to be. - Psalm 139:13-16: (Inclusive Bible)
Austen Hartke reports that the question he is asked most frequently is: "Did God make a mistake?". The suggestion is that by expressing a gender identity different than the one assigned at birth, trans and non-binary Christians are somehow defying God's creation. Here's how Hartke and other trans Christians respond:
1. Austen: "I don't believe God made a mistake in creating me just as I am… God also created me with a capacity for change with a mind that identifies as male. I believe God made all of me—gender identity included—and intended for me to be a transgender person who sees the world thru a different lens. I don't think God made a mistake. I think God made me transgender on purpose."
2. M: "If there's a mistake at all, it's that we've created this understanding of gender that is so deeply limiting of God's creation. That's the mistake. We've always been diverse people."
3. Lawrence: "God created us with the ability to be creators… If we aren't taking part in that creative process, then we're going against our very created nature."
4. River: God doesn't make mistakes; she just makes things easier or a bit more difficult to find. Transitioning doesn't mean that God made a mistake. Just that I need to work a bit harder to find the fullness of life God has for me."
5. Asher: "I think God knit me together in my mother's womb but has also been knitting me together every day since. I think God knit together my body and my identity. I'm not just a woman. I'm not just a man. I'm transgender. That's what God intended."
I'm looking forward to exploring these perspectives with our amazing group in the weeks to come!
Lord, help us to listen. To celebrate diversity in all the ways you have created us. To lean in and hear one another's stories. Thank you for the beauty of this community. Amen.
Homework / looking ahead
This week Hartke sets before us an easy but enlightening challenge: Spend some time this week looking at some church websites in your area. Pay attention to their introductions and language of welcome. List those that are explicit in inclusion, those that are vague, those that are excluding. Think about how you would feel as a transperson looking at those websites. Spend some time reflecting on what you observe in a journal or conversation with a friend.
Optional: read ch. 1, 2 and 5 of Hartke