Act! Be a Refuge for Trans People

Church is sometimes a refuge, a place to hide from the chaos around us. In fact sometimes, when the going gets tough, we use the church as a place to hide. For the most part, my advice to churches is this: don’t hide!

But for some LGBTQ+ people, the danger is significant. For trans youth it is especially awful, and for all trans people the situation is bad. And right now the prospects for a worsening situation seems possible.

For people who are afraid, church should be a refuge.

In one of the more bizarre stories of the New Testament, the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40) is wondering about what a text in Isaiah means, and Phillip appears to explain. What is bizarre is not that identity as Ethiopian, nor Eunuch, but that Phillip disappears into thin air at the end of the encounter. “The spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away” (v. 39). (Honestly the image of Philip running alongside the chariot is weird as well!)

What is not bizarre in the first century context is that when this person says “what is to keep me from being baptized” (v. 36). Philip doesn’t even ask more questions. He just does the baptism, on the spot. Some ancient authorities have added some reassurance that he believed the good news, but there is nothing asking about his sexuality, his gender identity, nor his views on any number of Christian theologies.

In 1930 the first transgender magazine started in Germany. In 1933 Hitler became Chancellor and began re-enforcing traditional gender roles. Trans organizations were attacked, some people were forced to de-transition, and many were sent to what were to become concentration camps. The government was particularly concerned with people who were identified as male at birth.

Today, our government is again attacking people who are trans. Again, there is a particular obsession with those identified as male at birth. This will hurt real people and is part of intention to enforce traditional gender roles. Both the tirades against trans women in sports, and trans youth getting medical services they need are about very few individuals. This is a set-up for turning our society against a group of people who just want to live their lives as who they really are.

For people who are afraid, church should be a refuge.

Our buildings need to be safe places, and in some circumstances, secret places for people at risk to gather. We should be funding organizations that help trans and other queer people. We need to be public in our support of people who are trans, and yet make space for people to keep their identity private if they choose. Some trans people need help finding a way to move to safer towns or states. Others need a place to meet each other.
For people who are afraid, church should be a refuge.
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What you can do:

If your community is up for community organizing, is our city or town ready to become a sanctuary for Trans people? Worcester Massachusetts is not the first place I expected that to happen, and yet, some people got together to make it happen. 
If you’d like help creating a safe gathering place, you can contact the people at The Lighthouse. They are located in Florida but are helping churches in any state.

If you’d like to help families relocate and/or to make sure people can get the gender affirming care they need, check out Pink Haven.  

The United States was once considered a safe place to immigrate for LGBTQIA+ individuals living in especially dangerous countries. The LGBT Asylum Project in Worcester, MA has been helping those refugees. They especially need your financial help now. 

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