‘You are holy. You are sacred. We love you’: Religious leaders offer support, remembrance for trans people

Earlier this month, the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, United Church of Christ General Minister and President/CEO joined the heads of ten major religious traditions to issue a timely statement proclaiming that transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people are worthy of love, support, and protection.

“During a time when our country is placing their lives under increasingly serious threat, there is a disgraceful misconception that all people of faith do not affirm the full spectrum of gender – a great many of us do. Let it be known instead that our beloveds are created in the image of God – holy and whole,” the statement says, which is directed to the American public, political leaders, and moral teachers.

The statement acknowledges that while the signers may come from different religious traditions, they share a common concern in protecting those experiencing persecution.

“Our faiths, our theologies, and our practices of prophetic witness call on us to say with one voice to transgender people among us: “You are holy. You are sacred. We love you. We support you, and we will protect you,” the statement reads.

“The UCC embraces the gifts and the very being of transgender and nonbinary persons as blessed children of God,” says an added UCC statement. “Demonizing and dehumanizing treatment of transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse persons is anathema to the gospel of Jesus Christ, who teaches us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.”

Given significant feedback to the letter, the opportunity has been added for individuals to sign their names to the statement – “to join this chorus of voices saying to transgender people, ‘You are holy. You are sacred. We love you. We support you, and we will protect you.’”

‘When one of us rises, we all rise’

On the Transgender Day of Remembrance, Nov. 20, UCC members from across the country gathered to honor the memory of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people whose lives have been lost or disrupted due to anti-trans violence.

The virtual worship service was recorded and is available to view.

R. Ward, UCC gender and sexuality justice minister and manager, offered these words of blessing: “Blessed are our bodies. Blessed is our love. Blessed are we when we celebrate that which the world turns away. Fill our hearts with a pride rooted in resistance to all that seeks to destroy. May we delight in the ways you have created us. Diverse, unique, surprising, and beautiful. Thanks be to God.”

The Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson, associate conference minister of church vitality and transitions in the UCC Michigan Conference, offered the sermon.

“God is love. And any person, church, or religious tradition that tells you that you are unworthy of love is wrong. God doesn’t need their consent to love you,” he said.

The names of 38 trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people were read by clergy.

“On this day of remembrance, we do not stand alone in mourning. We stand in mission. We carry the mantle. We continue the fight. We walk in the light that our transgender ancestors paid the price to kindle,” said the Rev. Elder Carmarion D. Anderson, UCC minister for congregational leadership. “So tonight, let the names we call move something in us. Let it push us past comfort, past apathy, past fear. Let their names be the drum beat that tells us, ‘Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly, protect each other, lift each other up, fight for each other, and see each other.’ Because when one of us rises, we all rise. When one of us is threatened, we all stand. And when one of us is lost, we all mourn and we all remember.”

The Rev. Derek Terry, acting executive director of the UCC Open and Affirming Coalition, offered these words in prayer, “May resilience rise in us like breath, like fire, like dawn, reminding us that every life is sacred and every person is worthy of joy.”

Read the Statement Supporting Trans, Intersex and Nonbinary People here.

Sign the statement proclaiming trans, intersex, and nonbinary people are sacred here.

View the Trans Day of Remembrance worship service here.

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