GayatfootofCross Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 About Advertise Contact Subscriber Login Forum Journal Spectrum Store News Voices Sabbath School Spirituality GC 2015 Education Columns Interviews Health Care An Adventist Story of Switching Sexes 15 June 2015 | Alita Byrd Print Email Tweet FB ShareThis Powered by Translate A church employee talks to Spectrum about her decision to transition from the male to the female gender, her relationship with her wife and family, and her relationship with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Question: You are an employee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and in the process of transitioning from the male to the female gender. Is it possible to remain an employee of the church? Answer: I am currently an employee of the SDA church, yes, but only for a short time more. I have chosen to leave of my own accord, and gave my notice to my employer nearly six months prior to my planned departure. The senior executive I gave my notice to responded in a way that I will always cherish. After I told her that I would be leaving, her first response was to ask why. I told her that I was a transgender person, and that my journey at this time in my life was to move forward with the transition that I had begun nearly four years earlier. Her response was: “My, I wouldn’t have guessed. Do you have a support network?” I said that I did. She then asked whether my wife had a support network. I said that she did. The next question was whether my children had a support network. Again I responded in the affirmative. Over the next 15 to 20 minutes we worked out the logistics of how the information of my departure would be managed. Twice more she asked me the same three questions about a support network. I said that I hoped I would be able to continue to contribute to the institution and eventually join conversations on the subject of being transgender and Seventh-day Adventist. She said she thought that would be good.You asked whether I could stay on as an employee. The answer is not simple. If the only constraints were at the specific institution where I work, I think the answer would be that I could transition and stay. But given the broader church politic and influence, I don’t believe it is possible at present.Finally, given the connectedness of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the thinking in some areas of the church, I believe staying is not worth the potential damage it would cause my family. So you have not been asked to leave? No. How about remaining a church member? Will you continue to attend a Seventh-day Adventist church? Do you hold Adventist beliefs? I have no intention of leaving the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I would say that I and my wife are progressive Adventists and as such we see the church as having a lot of room — more than what some would allow for. The next question is not so easy. Finding an Adventist church that will accept a “same sex” couple will not be easy, and we will not attend a church on a regular basis that will not be affirming. So the answer is that it depends on where we end up settling and whether that place has an SDA church that will be a loving, fully accepting community. (Not that every member has to agree, but we should be able to hold a church office etc.) As I said, we are progressive in our beliefs, and I have gone so far as saying that I am a cultural Seventh-day Adventist. That said, at the core of my belief I am a disciple of Christ and live my walk based on Christ’s statement of the law in the gospels when He states: The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, and the second is like it; love your neighbor as yourself. I connect that to Matthew 25 and the scene of the judgment with its call to treat those on the fringes as God’s children. I am not saying that there are no bounds or limits, but they must be based on principles of love that create positive, faith-building relationships. I guess the simple answer is to the question is: In large part I accept the teachings of the SDA church and its fundamental beliefs. The community of the church is something that I am deeply a part of, based on both family and personal history, and in large part my experience with the Church has been very good. Have you told any of your colleagues about your transgender experience? Yes, and to a person they have been kind, supportive, caring and concerned. They would like to see me stay, but they also understand Adventist communities and the broader forces that presently prevail within the church on this and the broader questions of LGBTQI issues. At this point all of my close colleagues know and have known for several months. Their support continues to be there. Can you tell us more about how your wife feels about your decision to switch genders? How long have you been married? I have been married for over 30 years. I will not attempt to speak for her, but I will reflect on what she says and what I believe she thinks and feels. First, she would not choose this. But our marriage has been based on a deep and enduring friendship and commitment — one grounded in love and faith. We have been faithful throughout our marriage to each other, always keeping our vows. We are both, by nature, rather non-confrontational in how we relate to others, and we both look for the best in others. This outlook has created the path that allows us to move forward together as a couple even now. She has known for nearly a decade that I am transgender and has made a conscious decision to stay with me and to keep our relationship alive. My wife has experienced what is commonly felt by spouses and families of transgender people: when someone transitions there is a sense of the person dying before your eyes. But then the person who emerges is in most ways the same, so the reasons you loved that person are still there and in those key ways the person has not changed. As my wife and I have discussed my transition in the past few weeks, she said something that really struck me, and shows what an amazing person she is. I had expressed how amazing it was to just be me, mostly not worrying about keeping up appearances. I talked about how a burden that I have carried for some forty years was finally lifting. She responded that she could understand and that she was so glad to see how free and happy I was. She went on to say that she still loved me and can’t picture growing old with anybody else. Then she said: “I appreciate that you have carried this burden for so long; now it is my turn to carry the load.”This is as deep a commitment as anyone could ever ask, and as great a gift as anyone could receive. We do hope to grow old together. Do you know other Adventists who are transgender? What has their experience been like? Yes, I know several Adventists who are transgender and several former Adventists who are as well. The experience of each is different, but the key is how family relates to them. For those who have supportive families who are within the church, they have continued their connection to the church to varying degrees. Some are regular participants and members of their local churches. One is even a local church elder. For those that have family who are not accepting, most have left the SDA church and in some cases even the larger Christian religion. Acceptance by one’s family is a very powerful thing, and when your family is there for you in positive supporting ways, even it they don’t understand, life is worth living. Tell us a little bit about your family. Did you grow up in the Adventist church? I grew up in an Adventist family. I am a 4th generation Adventist on both sides of my family. One of my grandfathers was a pastor/administrator in the church, the other was the head elder of a large congregation for 30 years or more. My parents both worked the majority of their professional lives within the Adventist educational system, with my father a university professor/administrator and my mother teaching every thing from kindergarten to college. I have three siblings. Two have spent most of their professional lives within the Adventist healthcare system as managers and leaders. One has held positions as president and CEO of several organizations. My third sibling is a very successful author and publisher. My home life was a wonderful upbringing in a loving, caring family in an Adventist community. Virtually all of my friends were Adventists and their parents were active in the church and community. I was never abused by anyone as a child. My mother’s area of professional expertise is in the area of family and early childhood development and so she was very engaged as a parent, and my father was an equal partner in the task of raising the four of us. They are still active in their church community and truly cannot go anywhere in the Adventist world without encountering someone they know. We are still a closely connected family, and I talk regularly with my parents and siblings. We vacation together about once every 12 to 18 months and these gatherings are always fun and enjoyable. My wife and I have children who are young adults who we raised in the Adventist church, with most of their schooling in SDA schools. They are both Christians, but they now question the Adventist church because of the basic tone of the church and how it views LGBTQI issues. They find an incongruence to how the church views people they know who are LGBTQI and Christian. When did you begin to feel more comfortable as a girl or woman? My journey to understanding started in elementary school. Before the age of 9 I realized that I would rather be a girl to the world, but feared the consequences of telling anyone — so I didn’t. Sometime in the mid 1970s my brother, who is four years older, came home and announced that the artist who created the album “Switched on Bach” had “changed sexes” and he wanted to know what my parents thought. I don’t remember the specifics of that dinner table conversation, but I do know that it was clear that they didn’t think you could switch, and that likely it wasn’t “right.” This insured that I stayed deeply in the closet. I came to realize that I was a “transsexual” sometime in the course of middle school when I happened across an article in one of the local daily news papers. There was an article about a young transsexual woman who had transitioned,; she had the surgery commonly referred to as Sexual Reassignment surgery (SRS). (Preferred terms to today are Gender Reassignment surgery, GRS, or Gender Conformation surgery, GCS). With this article I realized that there was actually a way to change how one’s genitals appeared from male to female, and I knew that somehow that is what I needed — that indeed I could become a woman. About the same time Renée Richards became the first “out” professional athlete to play in a major sporting tournament and series (women’s tennis). With this and a few other things I realized that there were indeed other people who were similar, but within the culture and conversation of the community, it was clearly viewed as bad.Due to the conflict with my religious upbringing I struggled to reconcile what I felt, and so I did what any good young Adventist male would do: I got married just out of college. My wife and I were young, and I was sure that this was the cure. The realization that it wasn’t was quick to arrive, and in less than a year, I knew it hadn’t changed that part of me. I continued to struggle in silence and in the closet. I struggled with God about it until finally, after two children, I realized that God accepts me the way I am. I realized that it wasn’t my choices that led to the way I am; I just am, for whatever reason, and I don’t get to know “why me?” until heaven. With that realization, I became comfortable with the idea of seeing myself as a woman, but due to my military career, and my family responsibilities I stayed closeted until my wife happened to find my boxes of clothes and accessories. By this time I was in my early 40s and I was ready to live with integrity in my marriage, and so I told her. That was nine years ago. The emergence of the internet was a powerful thing for transgender people, as suddenly there was information out there that you could find from the privacy of your home. Suddenly I realized that I was not alone. This created hope that there might be a chance at “life.” To summarize, I felt comfortable as a girl when I was somewhere between six and nine years old. Like everyone else I moved through life with its accompanying doubts and fears, but I did it to the world as a guy, and internally as a girl. In adulthood — once I resolved the spiritual conflict — I was good with being a woman. In fact I was great with it. The more I have moved through transition, the more comfortable I am.Now I’m a rather sporty 50-something woman who loves fitness and fashion and trying to figure out how things work. I love to create images of the world (through photography). I love woodworking and cooking for my family. What do you like about the Adventist church? What do you dislike? The greatest strength of Adventist churches, I believe, are the sense of community they foster, and the Sabbath. The connectedness of the faith is powerful and inviting and has been very rewarding to me and my family. The Sabbath and the rest and the coming apart have given me a connection with God and family that I believe is of divine design and intent. What I struggle with in the institutional church is that we have become a church of rule, much like the Pharisees. These rules — although well intended — have become more important than the principles that underlie them. The second thing I struggle with is that we have failed to live out the gospel as it is set out in Matthew 25. We make attempts, but we are more concerned with appearance than we are about actual practice. I fear that many will be on the on the right side of the “rules,” but the wrong side of the judgment. The final thing that concerns me within Adventism is the recurring rise of perfection doctrines within the church. The Last Generation Theology (LGT) is the latest iteration. This type of theological thinking creates this drive to create rules so that we can define perfection, and can “know” that we are indeed progressing toward salvation or are in fact saved. Where do you see yourself in five years? I hope that I will be working full time at whatever the Lord leads us to do. Given my skills and work experience I expect it will be in the area of aviation operations, doing something such as flying for a major air carrier or in the more technical part of the flying business: flight test. I could end up back in government working on issues related to transgender inclusion, but I doubt that will be full time.In five years I will have been living full time with the world seeing me as the woman I am, married to the same beautiful and amazing lady I am today. I doubt we will have grandchildren yet, but it certainly could happen. I hope that I will have been a positive, loving voice in a challenging discussion in the church and the broader society. How have you seen the church’s attitudes towards gay, lesbian and transgender individuals change in your lifetime? How do you anticipate them changing further? Clearly within the church you can find those who have moderated their tone and even their stance on LGBTQI people, but the official position stands as it does, with non-inclusion unless you are celibate as the stated policy. If, as I suspect, the US Supreme Court rules in favor of “same sex marriage” the church will likely have to moderate its stance to at least accommodate those who come to Adventism already married, just as we have accommodated those who came to the church already in polygamous marriages from cultures where that is acceptable. On the issue of transgender acceptance, the church has not taken a formal stance, although the Biblical Research Institute did issue a paper earlier this year. If the BRI paper is adhered to, we will end up in much the same place as we are with the LGB portion of the group — which is really a very unaccepting position. If you look to the millennial generation, I believe that there is hope for radical change: that our church forms a doctrine that is based on monogamous committed relationships. On the transgender front, we could save ourselves much grief and bring a great deal of healing by simply following the biblical lead as patterned for eunuchs of old. Although many in the transgender community don’t like the association, in a careful reading of the relevant scriptures one can, without manipulation, include what we today call transgender people. We can find it in both testaments, even spoken directly by Christ. Finally we see an apostle act on it by baptizing a eunuch. The subject of this interview has requested to remain anonymous at this time, because of her current employment at an Adventist institution, and the employment of family members at Adventist institutions. She hopes to speak publicly in the future. Jeannieb43 1 Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted June 16, 2015 Moderators Share Posted June 16, 2015 The Biblical Research Institute (BRI) has produced a document that speaks to transgender issues, membership and pastoral care. Probably no person will agree with everything that the document says and most people will find something to agree with in the document. In any case, this document is an attempt to bring some understanding to the issues and to give some thought as to questions that transgender people may bring to SDA congregations. It should be noted that BRI is a department of the General Conference that exists to give advice to denominational administrators. However, it is not the official voice for the denomination. Therefore, one can not truthfully say that a position taken by the BRI is the denominational position. But, it positions are clearly of interest. To access this document see: https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/sites/default/files/pdf/BRI_Ethics_Committee_Releases_Statements_on_Transgenderism.pdfs GayatfootofCross 1 Quote Gregory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Jeannieb43 Posted June 16, 2015 Moderators Share Posted June 16, 2015 The story of this transgender woman's life is beautiful, and it is told tastefully and well. It's only due to the recent advances in medical and surgical technology that such a transgender can successfully take place. Many previous generations must have had persons with gender dysphoria who could do nothing about it. Only in heaven will we be able to ask Jesus about why/how such "mistakes" happened, here on this earth. I thank God for this dedicated Adventist lady who didn't let her transgender status interfere with her dedication to her religious faith. Thank you for including this story here. GayatfootofCross 1 Quote Jeannie<br /><br /><br />...Change is inevitable; growth is optional.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayatfootofCross Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 The Biblical Research Institute (BRI) has produced a document that speaks to transgender issues, membership and pastoral care. Probably no person will agree with everything that the document says and most people will find something to agree with in the document. In any case, this document is an attempt to bring some understanding to the issues and to give some thought as to questions that transgender people may bring to SDA congregations. It should be noted that BRI is a department of the General Conference that exists to give advice to denominational administrators. However, it is not the official voice for the denomination. Therefore, one can not truthfully say that a position taken by the BRI is the denominational position. But, it positions are clearly of interest. To access this document see: https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/sites/default/files/pdf/BRI_Ethics_Committee_Releases_Statements_on_Transgenderism.pdfs Thank You for this most insightful article behind the link. It is more insightful of the slight biases and understandable ignorance in the group of Well Intended Biblical Minded who released this document of sorts. At least they are trying and mean well. Thank you again for putting it up, Gregory Matthews. I get the distinct impression,thru the carefully worded document, they don't really want to embrace the mess/beauty of humanity with rights/choices exercised. NOT DIVINE at all! Oh Boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #follow the fruit It is this and so much else that has painfully negated the Church to speak into the hearts of LGBTIQQAA. Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted June 16, 2015 Moderators Share Posted June 16, 2015 As I said, everyone will disagree with some parts and probably agree with some parts. The bottom line is that in some aspects it is clearly positive. Quote Gregory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayatfootofCross Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 As I said, everyone will disagree with some parts and probably agree with some parts. The bottom line is that in some aspects it is clearly positive. Yes ..in some baby steps it is clearly positive. cheerio! Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayatfootofCross Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 a story worth repeating Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayatfootofCross Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 ← Goings On 31 Trans* Women You Should Know (Besides Caitlyn Jenner & Laverne Cox) FOR THEIR PICTURES AND ORIGINAL ARTICLE http://tallladypictures.com/2016/03/31-trans-women-you-should-know-besides-caitlyn-jenner-laverne-cox/ Date posted: March 10, 2016 Hey everybody! March is Women’s History Month and March 31st happens to be this years’ Transgender Day of Visibility, so what better way to celebrate than with a list. There’s quite a few of these lists going around this month, and I’ll admit I definitely cribbed from a few of them, but these trans ladies are still worth checking out. This is by no means a complete list of all the amazing trans/gender non-conforming ladies out there. So here we go… 1. Lili Elbe Elbe was a Danish artist and illustrator and one of the first trans women to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Elbe met Gerda Gottlieb at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. They were married her in 1904. Elbe began dressing in women’s clothing after filling in for her wife’s absentee model. In 1930, Elbe went to Germany to under gender confirmation surgery, which was still experimental at the time. Elbe had a series of operations over a period of 2 years. Her case became a sensation in both Germany and Denmark and a Danish court invalidated her marriage to Gottlieb. She was able to get her sex and name legally changed. Elbe began a relationship with French art dealer Claude Lejeune, with whom she wanted to marry and have children, and was looking forward to her final surgery involving a uterus transplant, so that they could one day have children. With no medication to prevent organ rejection, she did not recover from her final operation and died September 13, 1931, three months after the surgery due to cardiac arrest caused by the rejection of the uterus by her immune system and the resulting infection. Elbe’s life is the subject of the 2015 Oscar nominated film “The Danish Girl”. 2. April Ashley April Ashley is an English model and restaurant hostess. She is one of the earliest British people known to have gender confirmation surgery. April Ashley joined the Merchant Navy at the age of 16. When she was in her twenties she moved to Paris and joined the drag cabaret at the Carousel Theatre where she met French entertainer Coccinelle. After having gender confirmation surgery on May 12, 1960 she returned to England and became a successful fashion model and appeared in a small role in the film The Road to Hong Kong with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. That November she met Arthur Corbett, the Eton-educated son and heir of Lord Rowallan. They were married in 1963, but the marriage quickly fell apart. In 1961 a friend sold her story to the Sunday People newspaper, which outted her and caused a scandal. In 1967 Corbett filed to have their marriage annulled on the grounds that Ashley was male, even though Corbett knew about her history when they married.In 2005, after the passage of the Gender Recognition Act of 2004, Ashley was finally recognized as female and issues a new birth certificate. Ashley was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2012. 3. Marsha P. Johnson Marsha P. Johnson was a drag queen, sex worker and gay liberation activist. She was a veteran of the Stonewall Riots, and one of the first to fight back in clashes with the police. Along with Sylvia Rivera, she co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) and was eventually an AIDS activist with ACT UP. 4. Sylvia Rae Rivera Rivera was an American gay liberator and transgender activist and drag queen. She was a founding member of both the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance. With her close friend Marsha P. Johnson, Rivera co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a group dedicated to helping homeless young drag queens and trans women of color. 5. Wendy Carlos Wendy Carlos is an Americn Composer and keyboardist best known her electronic music and film scores. Carlos help oversee the development of the Moog synthesizer, and help to popularize the instrument by recording an album of music by Johann Sebastian Bach called Switched-On Bach which won her three Grammy Awards. She also composed the scores for both, A Clockwork Orange and The Shining as well as Disney’s Tron. 6. Tracy Norman Tracey “Africa” Norman was the first black trans fashion model, though she hid the secret of her gender identity as she rose through the industry in the 1970s. Norman was recruited for the Italian version of Vogue and quickly became a model, appearing in magazines and advertisements for such brands as Avon and Clairol. Norman said that she only went into modeling to avoid sex work, which she thought of as the only other outlet for a black trans woman from Newark, New Jersey, who had just begun taking hormones. Around 1980, an assistant on an Essence magazine photo shoot who recognized her from Newark exposed her secret, and Norman stopped getting modeling work after that. She worked abroad in Paris and Milan before moving back to Newark, and only decided this year to tell her true story. 7. Kate Bornstein Bornstein is a GNC (Gender Non-Conforming) American author, playwright, performance artist and gender theorist best known for her book “Gender Outlaw”, “My Gender Workbook” and “Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws”. In 2012, Bornstein released a biography entitled “Kate Bornstein is a Queer and Pleasant Danger” with a documentary of the same titled directed by Sam Feder, released in 2014. 8. Sally Mursi In 1988, Egyptian Sally Mursi sent a shockwave through the Muslim World when she changed her sex from male to female in Egypt. The case led to such a crisis in the country that the Grand Mufti was asked to decide on it. Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, the Grand Mufti, released a fatwa, making it spiritually legal for a transgender individuals to change to his or her appropriate gender. At the time, Mursi was about to go into her fourth year as a medical student at Al-Azhar. The school rejected her, but the court sided with her twice when she sued them. She’s still fighting to return to Al-Azhar, although it’s now just about making a point, as she has moved on to being a dancer. Although she had been victorious, Mursi remains to face challenges in her country, crediting much of that to being the most recognized trans person. 9. Althea Garrison A Massachusetts state legislator, and the first transgender person to be elected to a state legislature in the U.S. Garrison outed as trans just two days after her 1992 election. The outing came via a vicious Boston Herald reporter named Eric Fehrnstrom, who later became an aide and political strategist for Mitt Romney’s failed 2012 presidential bid. Fehrnstrom’s stories about Garrison sunk her political career. 10. Monica Roberts As the founder and managing editor of TransGriot, a blog dedicated to reclaiming and documenting black trans history, Roberts—an award-winning writer, activist, lecturer, speaker, native Houstonian and out trans woman for more than 20 years—has currated some of the most groundbreaking (and heartbreaking) moments in black, trans and black trans history. 11. Jenn Burleton Musician and trans activist Jenn Burleton made history when she performed on stage at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, which had a ban on trans women from being “on the land”. You can read more about her here: (http://www.pqmonthly.com/hidden-in-plain-view-a-trans-activist-reflects-on-performing-at-michfest/15747) 12. Martine Rothblatt Martine Rothblatt is a lawyer, author and entrepreneur. She also happens to be the highest paid female executive in the US, and for good reason. She was a leading proponent of satellite communications, as well as former CEO of the Geostar Corporation and founder of Sirius Satellite Radio. In 1994, motivated by her daughter being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension Rothblatt created the PPH Cure Foundation and founded the medical biotechnology company, United Theraputics. In 2004, Rothblatt launched the Terasem Movement, which is focused on the prospect of technological immortality via mind uploading. In 2007 Rothblatt commissioned Hanson Robotics to create an artificial intelligence using her wife, Bina Aspen Rothblatt, as the template, resulting in the android BINA48. 13. The Wachowski Sisters Okay, technically not one person, but come on, they’re awesome. Both Lilly and Lana are Hollywood directors/producers best known for film like the Matrix Trilogy, V for Vendetta, Cloud Atlas and the Netflix series Sense8. In 2012, Lana received the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award, saying, “There are some things we do for ourselves, but there are some things we do for others. I am here because when I was young, I wanted very badly to be a writer, I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I couldn’t find anyone like me in the world and it felt like my dreams were foreclosed simply because my gender was less typical than others. If I can be that person for someone else, then the sacrifice of my private civic life may have value.” 14. Carys Massarella Dr. Carys Massarella is likely the first transgender president of a hospital medical staff in the world, working at St. Joseph’s Healthcare hospital in Ontario, Canada. This pioneering health care physician works to educate the medical world on trans issues and the best patient care services for trans individuals. 15. Susan Stryker Susan Stryker is an American professor, author, filmmaker, theorist and LGBTQ historian whose work focuses on gender and human sexuality. Stryker is the author of several books including Gay by the Bay: A History of Queer Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area, Transgender History, and Queer Pulp: Perverted Passions from the Golden Age of the Paperback. Stryker is also the director of the film “Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria”, which documents the Gene Compton’s Cafeteria Riot of 1966. Styker is also the co-editor of the Transgender Studies Quarterly, the first non-medical academic journal devoted to transgender issues. Her scholarly article “My Words to Victor Frankenstein Above the Village of Chamounix” was the first article ever published in a peer-reviewed academic journal by and openly transgender author. 16. Kim Coco Iwamoto In 2006 Iwamoto was elected to a position on Hawaii’s state Board of Education and became (at the time) the highest-elected openly transgender official in the United States. She ran for re-election in 2010 and won. See a video of Iwamoto discussing her support of an anti-bullying bill in Hawaii by clicking here. 17. Megan Stabler Named as “Working Mother of the Year” by Working Mother magazine in 2014. Meghan Stabler is an accomplished business executive with extensive global expertise. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a member of HRC’s Business Council focusing on LGBT workplace issues, policy and practices, Meghan is an inspirational speaker and a nationally recognized LGBT spokesperson, recently appearing on an ESPN documentary discussing sports and the LGBT community. Meghan is actively sought by State legislators from Texas to New York for providing expert testimony on LGBT employment-, housing-, workplace-discrimination and relationship recognition. 18. Precious Davis Chicago-based activist and advocate Precious Davis found her passion when she began working at the Center on Halsted a decade ago. “My work [at the center] pulled continuously from my heart and soul with passion each day to create programs, community outreach and events that had a tangible effect on LGBT youth because I believe in young people,” Davis said to the Windy City Times. She is currently assistant director of diversity-recruitment initiatives at her alma mater, Columbia College Chicago, and continues to use her public platform to highlight the challenges that LGBT youths face. 19. Ryka Aoki Ryka Aoki is an Asian-American author known for her poetry collection Seasonal Velocities and her novel He Mele a Hilo. Seasonal Velocities was a finalist for the 25th Lambda Literary Awards in 2013. She was honored by the California State Senate for her work with Trans/Giving, a Los Angeles performance series for trans and gender queer individuals. Aoki teaches English at Santa Monica College and gender studies at Antioch University. She also holds a black belt in judo. 20. Chelsea Manning Chelsea Manning is a United States Army soldier who was convicted in July 2013 of committing espionage and other offenses after disclosing to WikiLeaks nearly 750,000 classified or sensitive military and diplomatic documents. Manning was assigned as an intelligence analyst in 2009. In 2010, she leaked classified information to Wikileaks, while confiding this fact to Adrian Lamo. Lamo informed Army Counterintelligence and Manning was arrested and charged with 22 offenses including aiding the enemy. She pled guilty to ten of the charges in February 2013. Manning was sentenced in August 2013 to 35 years’ imprisonment with possibility of parole after eight years, and to be dishonorably discharged. In regards to releasing the documents Manning told Amnesty International, “Humanity has never had this complete and detailed a record of what modern warfare actually looks like. Once you realize that the co-ordinates represent a real place where people live that the dates happened in our recent history; that the numbers are actually human lives – with all the love, hope, dreams, hatred, fear, and nightmares that come with them – then it’s difficult to ever forget how important these documents are.” 21. CeCe McDonald Late one night in June 2011, CeCe McDonald and her friends were attacked by a man for simply walking down the street. In defending herself, and her friends, McDonald was sliced across her cheek and the man lost his life. This moment would change her life forever and McDonald found herself in the center of the struggles transgender women face in America’s prisons. After serving 41 months, McDonald was released from prison and has since been actively advocating for massive reform and abolition of the prison system. 22. Fallon Fox Fallon Fox is the only out trans mixed martial arts fighter and the subject of the documentary Game Face. She has used her influence outside of the ring to bring attention to issues affecting trans youth, like ending conversion therapy. 23. Tona Brown World renowned violinist Tona Brown made history by being the first trans person of color to perform at Carnegie Hall. In an interview with Out magazine, she said that she wanted her concert, “From Stonewall to Carnegie Hall,” to elevate the roles that transgender men and women played in the Stonewall riots in 1969. 24. Clair Farley Clair Farley is a community leader, writer, and trans advocate. As the Director of Economic Development at the San Francisco LGBT Center, Clair works across the country and internationally to advocate for increased visibility of LGBT communities. Her story is highlighted in the incredible documentary “Red Without Blue”. In 2015, was recognized as a “Soldier of Social Change” in the SF Magazine’s Annual Women in Power Issue. 25. Mya Taylor Mya Taylor won best supporting actress for her breakout role in, Tangerine, at this year’s Independent Film Spirit Awards. This is the first time an openly transgender performer has won a major acting award. While accepting the award, Taylor expressed her gratitude for how much her life has changed over the past year. “I had come from almost nothing,” she said, “and then got this role in this movie and my life has just did a total 360.” 26. Julia Serano Julia Serano is a writer, spoken-word performer, trans-bi activist and biologist from Oakland, CA. She is the author of “Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity” and “Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive”. She is also a biologist at UC Berkeley in the field of evolution and developmental biology, as well as lyricist/guitarist for the band Bitesize. 27. Sadie Switchblade of G.L.O.S.S. Sadie is the badass frontwoman of G.L.O.S.S. (Girls Living Outside Society’s [censored]), a hardcore punk band out of Olympia, Washington. G.L.O.S.S. is crucial listening for punks who are hungry for music that vocalizes queer and trans experiences with brutal honesty Check out their bandcamp here: (https://girlslivingoutsidesocietysshit.bandcamp.com/releases) 28. Landa Lakes Landa Lakes is a Native American two-spirit individual from the Chicasaw Tribal Community in Oklahoma, and an activist and drag performer. Regarding their self-chosen name, Landa said, “It’s a tongue-in-cheek reference for the famous butter mascot because I like to point out that even in today’s world we’re still using native people as mascots.” 29. Erin Cambell Erin is “a ball busting career woman by day and podcaster extraordinaire by night”. She is the host and creator of the podcasts “The Deck Tease” and “The Girlfriend Bracket”. She is the one of the most vocal personalities in the Magic the Gathering Community. She has also been featured in Gadgette Magazine. 30. Mey Rude Mey is a lesbian Latina trans woman living in Idaho who is a writer, speaker and trans activist. She’s a Bruja Femme and co-founder of the Femme Witch Coven. She also happens to be the trans editor for Autostraddle.com. 31. Greta Gustava Martela Greta Gustava Martela is the co-founder and Executive Director of Trans Lifeline (www.translifeline.org). Ms. Martela has drawn on her own experience with suicidality to create a resource that is able to respond to the needs of the trans community. Prior to Trans Lifeline Ms. Martela worked as a software engineer. Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayatfootofCross Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 http://www.autostraddle.com/10-lesser-known-trans-women-pioneers-from-history-316582/ STORY OF INTERSEX HERE ALSO BELOW This article was posted in Gender 10 Trans Women Pioneers They Definitely Didn’t Tell You About In History Class It’s Trans Awareness Week, the week leading up to Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20th. When we say that Autostraddle is website primarily for queer women, we want to be 100% clear that that includes queer trans women and that it’s important to honor trans women year-round, not just in obituaries. So all week long we’re going to be spotlighting articles by and about trans women, with a special focus on trans women of color. We hope you’ll love reading everything as much as we’ve loved writing and editing it. It seems like when people talk about early trans pioneers from history we only ever hear two names — Lili Elbe and Christine Jorgensen. Things are getting better and now we also talk about TWOC leaders like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson. While it’s true that Elbe and Jorgensen are important historical figures, and while it’s true that Rivera and Johnson are legends who we owe worlds to, it’s also important to talk about other trans women who might be less well-known, but have had their own big impact on trans history. It’s usually pretty suspect to prescribe modern identities to people from the past, but no matter which way the deceased people on this list would identify if they were alive today, they remain important figures in the history of American (and some international) trans and gender non-conforming people and the way people challenge society’s rules for gender. This list is only the tip of the iceberg; there are dozens and dozens of other trans pioneers without whom we wouldn’t be here today. As a general warning, some of the pages I’m going to link to contain misgendering and/or outdated terminology. I deleated all the lil bios cause some were a lil to graphic http://www.autostraddle.com/10-lesser-known-trans-women-pioneers-from-history-316582/ Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayatfootofCross Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 1 hour ago, Dingdong said: I thought we weren't supposed to confront the church's 28 fundamental beliefs here? I find this confronting and promoting transgender ideology. Help me I'm confused. hi again Dingdong! I am espousing God's Love for all people. My experience has taught me many Christians don't see QUEERS (blanket term of the non normatives) as equal to them in terms of spirituality and not understanding their relationships are as important as theeir own relationships. So this is a place that has been granted to share experiences and journeys stressing God's love for all. His Children. If you go to the more intellectual debates and more headier thoughts that people share you will see not all are traditional SDA Not all believe in the Trinity (one of the 28 beliefs). Oh Dear ..(which personally I find repugnant) Not all believe in the Papacy Mark of the Beast traditional understanding. Or even the Standard Creation Week or even the role of alcohol. Some actually believe men and women can swim together or play sports.. Many diverse thoughts and opinions are shared here. But in the End ..mostly good old fashioned Adventists that prescribe to all 28. Dingdong ..keep posting! Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Bravus Posted March 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 15, 2016 Could you please give me chapter and verse on transgender people from the Fundamentals? Quote Truth is important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Bravus Posted March 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 15, 2016 Hang on, you can't shift ground (even if you're a different person!) The claim is that this thread is not appropriate in this sub-forum because the 28 Fundamentals are not to be challenged in this sub-forum. I asked where the 28 Fundamentals were challenged, and it's clear that they are not. Therefore the issue of whether the topic is appropriate to this sub-forum is resolved. The question of whether it is appropriate to this board is a broader question. Given Jesus' actions in relation to all the hurting and vulnerable people he encountered, my own view is that there is no better place for it. Indeed, if we can't discuss this, we may as well fold up our tents and go home. GayatfootofCross 1 Quote Truth is important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayatfootofCross Posted March 15, 2016 Author Share Posted March 15, 2016 54 minutes ago, Dingdong said: I dont think you are 'espousing Gods love for all people" but promoting homosexuality Hi again! Dingdong Well since you don't believe what I have said thus far regarding God's love for all. It would be silly for me say anymore (my name,being gay,sinning no more etc) ..waiting for you disbelieve any other things I share that are close to my heart.. Soooo anyhoo how about those 49ers? May the JOY of the LORD be yours and my ( and all the lovely QUEERS) strength! Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Bravus Posted March 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 15, 2016 Quote Can we freely discuss this? Of course, as long as people are respected as people. It's OK (if, in my view, misguided) to say "those actions and beliefs are wrong or unScriptural", but not to say "you are wrong for existing". State your point, but do so as though you were sitting quietly in a face-to-face conversation with the person you are talking about. Quote Truth is important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Bravus Posted March 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 15, 2016 And I ask, again, show me the wording in the 28 Fundamentals pertaining to transgender people. Quote Truth is important Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rudywoofs (Pam) Posted March 15, 2016 Members Share Posted March 15, 2016 DD, please specify as to which of the 28 fundamental beliefs is being violated. I do not see this forum category as "promoting" homosexuality. No one has said that sexual behavior between gay people is right in the sight of God. What *has* been said, is that God loves *all* His children, even LGBTs — and they *do* have the right to call themselves Christians — just as much as you or I do. You may not like the name of "GayatfootofCross." But that's his moniker. You aren't being asked to like it....it's not your business. You do not know if Gay is homosexually active, or not. Being gay isn't a sin, just as alcoholism isn't a sin, just as my ability to do Magick isn't a sin. Being tempted isn't a sin, either. It only becomes of concern when the act is done. (I might also say that "ruminating" and daydreaming about doing the act is probably sinful.) Gay posts issues dealing with homosexuality/transgender in connection with Christianity. Why should that make anyone hostile? phkrause, CoAspen and GayatfootofCross 3 Quote Pam Meddle Not In the Affairs of Dragons; for You Are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup. If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony. Funny, isn't it, how we accept Grace for ourselves and demand justice for others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rudywoofs (Pam) Posted March 15, 2016 Members Share Posted March 15, 2016 1 hour ago, Wrxdod16 said: Nobody is being hostile. Is having a discussion with those you disagree with necessarily hostile? Of course not. DD did come across as "attacking" Gay, not merely "disagreeing" within a "discussion".... Now that you've tried to avoid the pertinent issue, why not let everyone know which of the 28 Fundamentals is being violated? Quote Pam Meddle Not In the Affairs of Dragons; for You Are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup. If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony. Funny, isn't it, how we accept Grace for ourselves and demand justice for others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rudywoofs (Pam) Posted March 15, 2016 Members Share Posted March 15, 2016 Quote I don't get why the ideas cant just be discussed without all the other 'stuff' creeping in. That's because some people get hung up with dissection of a word someone might use, then the topic gets derailed whilst comments continue that would make Daniel Webster roll his eyes. Okay. "Hostile" does not always mean "mean" or "antagonistic".... it can mean "opposed to" or "disapproving" — which is how I used the word in my original comment to DD. @Waxer — you gave the numbers 7-11 15 19 22. I do not agree that the forum subsection is violating those beliefs by bringing LBGT issues up for discussion. Discussion of a topic and endorsement of that topic are not the same thing. **Back to Topic** CoAspen 1 Quote Pam Meddle Not In the Affairs of Dragons; for You Are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup. If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony. Funny, isn't it, how we accept Grace for ourselves and demand justice for others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoAspen Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 The above poster assumes much and then makes assumptions based on such.........let him without sin cast the first stone....backbiters, gossipers, rumor mongers, etc are where on the list...still considered sinners....with out love you have nothing.....Hmmmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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