Category: Trans

trans faith resisting Trump

24/1/2025

Prior to Bishop Budde’s excellent sermon calling in on President Trump to practice the cardinal Christian virtue of mercy to the vulnerable, much work has been being done in Episcopalian circles to build solidarity for trans, immigrant and other groups now under attack in the USA. Here is a good recent article outlining some of these developments and wonderful key trans leaders - the kinds of work which could be done here and elsewhere before attacks come and to enable true flourishing. Among other things, I commend my fellow trans priest the Revd Carla Robinson’s work and words:

"it takes me back to my spiritual roots in the Black church (in the 1960s and 1970s). In those days, it was not unusual for someone to ask you in church, ‘How goes the struggle?’ It was asked in church because the church was actively engaged in the fight for civil rights and justice."
As Episcopalians,,“We’ve been called to something much different than ‘Nice.’ [A fighting church] acknowledges that there is a real struggle. …It acknowledges the reality of who is being hurt – how they are being hurt – and it calls upon the church to not be shy about facing those realities. … A fighting church acts and speaks from its place as followers of Jesus.”

May all those seeking to practise and nurture mercy gain strength at this time.

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Jesus, Queen of Heaven in Sydney

16/1/2025

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It has been wonderful to have distinguished trans playwright and performer Jo Clifford in Sydney with us this month. Among other things, Jo performed as Jesus, Queen of Heaven in St Stephen's Uniting Church, Macquarie Street in Sydney, and also joined us for worship and speaking at Pitt Street Uniting Church. Jo also visited Melbourne on this trip, including with a new play. We hope to see her again in Australia before long.

‘The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven is a unique, emotive, one-woman show that “leaves everyone feeling blessed” as it seeks to end trans discrimination. Jesus has returned to earth as a trans woman and this is your chance to come and meet her – even if you don’t normally go to church. The show is written and performed by Jo, one of Scotland’s most renowned playwrights with over 100 plays to her name, Stonewall role model and recently elected an Elder of the United Reformed Church.

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trans visibility and resurrection

26/3/2024

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This year, the #TransDayOfVisibility falls on the date of Easter (in the Western Church), which is a happy connection for some of us, in light of what trans folk can bring to understanding resurrection, not least as transformation. One of the first prayers I wrote for a transgender occasion was this one for instance - which seems particularly appropriate in this Holy Week - drawing on one of the great priest-poet Gerard Manly Hopkins' poems. It speaks of the power of love to transform us all, enabling us truly to 'selve' (as Hopkins put it), and to flame out 'like shining from shook foil' (as Hopkins put it in another poem). So, however they keep trying to crucify some of us, may trans people so flame out and shine, this Sunday and always.

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climbing out from under the bus

25/2/2024

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Last year had some amazing highs, but I had some trying health and other struggles at times, and it is always hard to write in a vital congregational placement (especially with the demands of my pioneering ministry) so I'm very grateful for the encouragement and patience of Elenie Poulos and Kate Gleeson (co-editors) in enabling me to contribute an article to a small collection of essays on 'Religion and Politics after marriage equality: contemporary challenges in religious freedom'. My essay (which can be accessed here) built out of the tough experience of some of us, focuses on the marginalisation of transgender people and queer people of faith in queer activism and mainstream Australian churches during and after the Australian marriage-equality plebiscite. I entitled it: 'Climbing out from being thrown under the bus: queer faith futures in a transphobic political world'.

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Queer Christians address to rally against the anti-LGBTI+ far right

18/3/2023

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I speak as both a transgender woman and as an Anglican priest, currently serving as an Uniting Church Minister. As a Queer Christian I am not alone. There are many of us in Sydney, and across the world. For we, and queer people of other faiths, have always existed. We can be found in the Bible, throughout history, and we are very much alive today. Yet our lives are so commonly denied. For we are an inconvenient truth: inconvenient both to the Christians who oppose us, and inconvenient also to others, including some in the queer community, who would deny our lives. As such, we are at the heart of the continuing culture wars we seek to end today and we share in the solidarity and hope which this gathering embodies. Indeed, without us the battles we face together simply cannot be won. We so need each other and we badly need others to hear our voices and act upon them...

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making visible and returning our hearts

13/3/2022

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Loving the creative hearts beginning to appear from folks at Pitt Street - here are a few examples (my current favourite being a fellow trans person’s ‘Love’ heart - as I know that comes from a deep journey ) - part of our #returningourhearts Lenten theme, as part of ‘repairing the breach’.

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trans spirit flourishing - my new web resource

29/10/2017

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Trans Spirit Flourishing is the name of a new website I have produced, which seeks to shed light on transgender life & spiritual understanding and to help develop support and encouragement for trans people in our varied journeys. For spirituality is essential to human beings but we have often used it ignorantly.

The unnecessary and deeply hurtful Australian postal survey on marriage equality has sadly demonstrated how many Christians are still not aware of the devastating damage which has been done and which continues to be inflicted on LGBTI+ people by ideas and practices which we desperately need to leave behind. As a result the deep spiritual life and insights of so many LGBTI+ people is often neglected. For transgender and gender nonconforming people this is a particular tragedy as our journeys are so much bound up with exploring and expressing our deepest identities. Things are changing however, even if some of us will no doubt continue to bear the pain of the struggle. Trans spiritual flourishing for some sections of religious faiths may never happen, but who knows - God is amazing in surprises! However trans spirit flourishing can begin, or develop further, right and here and now, for everyone .

My hope is that this resource can add, and point, to sources of light and encouragement - both, and above all, for those struggling with gender identity themselves, and for allies and those genuinely seeking understanding.

We are living through challenging times, with many demanding issues of ecology, reconciliation, peacemaking, poverty, and care for refugees and other vulnerable people. Gender diversity has so often been a battlefield. May we make of it a source of grace for the larger journey of healing and wholeness for all.

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cradled in God's love - becoming more truly who I am: a transgender female priest

22/7/2017

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Better late than never? Today I am coming out fully as a transgender person. It has been a lifelong journey to this point and I am sure there are more struggles to come of a different nature. Tonight however I feel the deepest sense of joy and freedom - like that of Paul in his letter to the Galatians (more reflections about that and other wonderful trans affirming parts of the Bible and Christian Tradition in due course) - and I know that I now stand more clearly in the imperishable image of God in which I am created. I feel greatly blessed by this moment and all who have inspired, gone before, supported and/or stood by me. Thank you to anyone reading this who has been part of that :-) For my coming out has profound spiritual dimensions for me which I believe are sources of healing, strength and renewal for us all. Like my little grandchild cradled in my arms in the photograph (see left) I feel more intimately part of God's 'new creation', a little child cradled in the love of God.

Below is the letter sent (with the kind support of my archbishop) to my fellow clergy today in the Anglican Church Southern Queensland, together with just a few resources which may help our mutual understanding and growth. Together with the archbishop and my college principal, my loving partner and I pondered and prayed hard about the best way to share my news, aware both of the current contrasting levels of knowledge and care in our churches and also seeking a path of healthy transparency without causing unnecessary reactions in some quarters. I therefore hope and pray that this may be part of our continuing journeys into wholeness and joyful life for us all...

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trans faith resisting Trump

Jesus, Queen of Heaven in Sydney

trans visibility and resurrection

climbing out from under the bus

Queer Christians address to rally against the anti-LGBTI+ far right

making visible and returning our hearts

trans spirit flourishing - my new web resource

cradled in God's love - becoming more truly who I am: a transgender female priest

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