Transgender and Gender Diversity

Print

Trans Forming Families: Real Stories About Transgender Loved Ones, 2nd ed.

Mary Boenke, ed, (Oak Knoll Press, 2003)

Features 40 authors who share their personal journeys from the initial shock or resistance when first learning their loved ones (or they, themselves) were struggling with gender problems, through the various feelings, to final acceptance.

Girls Will Be Boys Will Be Girls

J.T. Bunnell (Soft Skull Press, 2004)

For children, a colouring book to challenge the reader to interrogate patriarchal dichotomies of gender and sexual orientation.

Transgender Good News

Pat Conover (New Wineskins Press, 2002)

"Transgender Good News presents formidable challenges from a first rate sociological and theological mind... In short, out of her own experience, research, and exploration, Pat Conover has given us a stunning piece of work that will set the standard for the church's virtually unaddressed issue."—James B. Nelson

Made in God's Image

Ann Thompson Cook (Dumbarton United Methodist Church, Washington, DC, 2004)

A resource for dialogue about people of faith and gender differences. Combines information, personal sharing, and resources to serve as a starting place for any congregation, family, or individual seeking to better understand transgender issues. See more information* online.

Omnigender: A Trans-Religious Approach

Virginia Ramey Mollenkott (Pilgrim Press, 2001)

The author contends that the common understanding of gender as two opposite sexes is woefully inadequate, and argues that this "binary gender paradigm" is oppressive and inflicts grave suffering on many people. Mollenkott moves beyond the current gender construct to offer vision of a new, more flexible gender paradigm which she terms "omnigender." She shows how shifting gender paradigms will liberate individuals and make our society more truthful and just.

Transgender Journeys

Virginia Ramey Mollenkott and Vanessa Sheridan (Pilgrim Press, 2003)

Informative and inspirational while sharing real-life experiences about the joy and pain of being both Christian and gender-variant to illustrate how each person's enactment of their authentic self helps to create an environment that moves toward moral justice for all persons.

Trans-Gendered: Theology, Ministry, and Communities of Faith

Justin Edwards Tanis (Pilgrim Press, 2003)

Chapter topics include an introduction to trans issues; gender variance and the scriptures; transgendered people and faith communities; creating a genuine welcome for trans people in communities of faith; transgendered people and God; gender as a calling; transgendered body theology; and transgendered theological thought.

Transgendering Faith: Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality

Tigert, Leanne McCall, and Maren C. Tirabassi, eds. (Pilgrim Press, 2004)

A resource to help churches respond with love and care to transgender people in our society, both those within the Christian community and those who find themselves—unhappily—outside its doors. It is also a book for transgender Christians, their families, pastoral counsellors, and clergy.

Our Whole Lives curriculum

(United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist Association)

A series of sexuality education programs for six age groups: grades K-1, grades 4-6, grades 7-9,  grades 10-12, Young Adults, and Adults. See more information on the United Church of Christ* website.

Online

Publications

Coming Out as Transgender*

(Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality, 2007)

Designed to help people through that process in realistic and practical terms. It acknowledges that the experience of coming out covers the full spectrum of human emotion – from paralyzing fear to unbounded euphoria.

Crossing Paths: Where Transgender and Religion Meet (Related Content download)

From the Unitarian Universalist Association's Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns. Includes stories of transgender people, as well as resources for worship, pastoral care, and workshop sessions. For individuals and congregations.

 

Gender Identity and Our Faith Communities: A Congregational Guide for Transgender Advocacy* (Human Rights Campaign).

A curriculum based on the contributions of transgender people, their families, and clergy. Drawing on a wide array of personal experiences, religious and cultural analysis, and diverse faith journeys, this curriculum empowers people of faith with the knowledge and skills necessary to transform their communities and congregations into welcoming environments and will turn participants into advocates for transgender rights.

Opening the Door to the Inclusion of Transgender People: The Nine Keys to Making LGBT Organizations Fully Transgender-Inclusive*

by Lisa Mottet and Justin Tanis (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, National Center for Transgender Equality, 2008)

Geared for LGBT organizations of any kind (from communities of faith, to social clubs, to advocacy organizations), this guide covers both practical and big-picture ways we can all bring our goals of a fully inclusive movement into reality.

Teaching Transgender* (National Center for Transgender Equality, 2009)

A how-to guide for leading trainings about the lives of transgender people.

Organizations

Colage*

A national movement of children, youth, and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ) parents.

Family Pride Canada*

An online resource centre for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents and their families.

Institute for Welcoming Resources*

An ecumenical group created to provide resources to facilitate a paradigm shift in multiple denominations whereby churches become welcoming and affirming of all congregants regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Le-Neo

Par lequel on peut trouver le guide L'identité sexuelle. Guide de Démystification.

National Center for Transgender Equality*

A social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people.

TransFaith On-line*

Dedicated to educating churchfolk about TransFaith, TransFolk, and OtherWisdom; supporting Transfolk in our sacred role as OtherWise; and nurturing the expression of the sacred OtherWise.

United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns*

The coalition provides support and sanctuary to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender sisters and brothers, their families and friends; advocates for their full inclusion in church and society; and brings Christ's affirming message of love and justice for all people.

 

Online Video

Human Rights Campaign Observes National Transgender Day of Remembrance*

This YouTube video highlights November 20 as a day to mark the passing of transgender people who have died because of hate. Speak up when you hear hateful speech; tell your friends and family you're a transgender ally.

Transgender Basics*

A 20-minute educational film by Rosa Juel Nordentoft on the concepts of gender and transgender people. Two providers from the Gender Identity Project* discuss basic concepts of gender - sex, identity and gender roles - as three transgender community members share their personal experiences of being trans and genderqueer.

Audiovisual

• The Believers by Todd Holland (Frameline, DVD, 80 min.): This award-winning documentary tells the story of the formation of Transcendence, the world's first transgender gospel choir from City of Refuge United Church of Christ in San Francisco. The film shows the dilemma of the choir members as they try to reconcile their gender identity with the message that has filled their lives that changing one's gender is against God's law.
• Call Me Malcolm: One Man's Struggle with Faith, Love and Gender Identity by Joseph Paralagreco (filmworks, inc./United Church of Christ, DVD, 1:30): A documentary about a 27-year-old transgender seminary student, and his struggle with faith, lov,e and gender identity.
• transparent by Jules Rosskam (Frameline, DVD, 61 min.): Gender roles we all take for granted are broken apart in transparent, a documentary about 19 female-to-male transsexuals living in the United States who have given birth and, in all but a few stories, gone on to raise their biological children.  Traditional views of gender are further re-examined through the variety of genders the children use to conceive of their parents.