As bishops of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, our eyes are open to the realities of transgender people and their families. Many of them serve faithfully in the congregations and ministries of our diocese, as lay people, as deacons and as priests. They are dedicated and loving parents, children, siblings, friends and community leaders. Again and again, we hear how they have struggled against incredible odds and pressures to be true to their identity as beloved children of God, made in the image of God.
It pains us that even as transgender people claim their identities and step into newness of life, they face discrimination and violence that undermines their human dignity. A November 2009 survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force found that 97 percent of respondents had been harassed or mistreated on the job, and 26 percent had been fired for being transgender. You will recall that in November 1998, an Allston transgender woman, Rita Hester, was murdered and her killer never found. This local tragedy led to an annual Nov. 20 international Transgender Day of Remembrance, for transgender people who have died, especially those who have been killed or taken their own lives. It is fitting that our state should model amendment of life and hope for a future that is better than this sad past.
Shame the passionate love and support does not extend to orthodox Christians
Is there any non-normal sexual practice that these people won’t support?
How is being transgender a sexual practice? Just wondering.
Made in the image of God. Use creation to make a point and then deny it in favor of evolution.
The letter itself, along with the attached resolution is pretty insipid and unworthy of serious discussion. The sad circumstance of “transgendered” people, assuming that the term means what “transsexual” used to mean, is worthy of contemplation. How awful it must be to experience so profound a sense of alienation from your own body as to want to change one of its most fundamental characteristics. What a terrible isolation from their own selves these people must endure. Note, the issue here is not one of sexual desire, as sad and painful as unnatural desires must be, but of estrangement from one’s sex.
It must be remembered that Christianity is incarnational. Our bodies are inseparable from our selves – that’s one of many reasons that sexual sins are so devastating. The great revolution effected by God in Christ is first of all the incarnation, the embodiment of God Himself. He lives, preaches, teaches, suffers, dies, is resurrected, and ascends as an embodied human person. He is embodied in the Church and the Eucharist. The body and its relationship to the rest of the human person – the mind, heart, will and soul – is central to the Christian tradition. How can anyone so estranged from his body live a joyful Christian life?
We have a duty to those among us who suffer from so traumatic an estrangement from themselves to pray, work, give, and do all in our power to effect the Lord’s healing in their lives. True, civil rights-style importuning on behalf of the “rights” of such sufferers is not helpful – indeed, it is likely counterproductive. But give the Massachusetts folks credit – at least they recognize that something must be done for those who thus suffer. As we take proper note of the tiresome triteness of this response, let us be mindful of what would be helpful and offer a prayer for those who suffer from this awful condition. And as we are given opportunity, let us do what we can for the healing of such souls, beloved of God in Christ, as He leads.
If the person has XX chromosomes, they are female.
If the person has a single X chromosome, they are female.
If the person has XXX chromosomes, they are STILL female.
If they have XY chromosome, they are male.
If the person has XXY chromosomes, they are still male.
If the person has XXYY chromosomes, they are STILL male.
These are the facts. We can vote this way or that, but facts remain facts. The earth orbits the sun, no matter what man may say.
Here you go:
[blockquote]Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has forced the flannel and khaki outpost to make some changes, including nixing a rule about employee “personal appearance” that banned men from wearing women’s clothing and ladies from dressing as guys.[/blockquote]
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/05/12/2010-05-12_transgenders_win_discriminmation_tiff_with_american_eagle_outfitters_.html#ixzz0nns633Nl
It is one thing to use anti-discrimination laws to coerce acceptance in matters that are truly irrelevant like eye color or race or national origin, but it is entirely different were we are talking about behaviors, ways of living and other life style choices. And make no mistake anti-discrimination laws are about coercion.
And all of the new anti-discrimination laws are aimed at coercing acceptance of sexual deviance and disorder.