Open Letter of Support for People of Trans or Nonbinary Experience in Texas

Open Letter of Support from
United Church of Christ Clergy and Leaders for
People of Trans or Nonbinary Experience in Texas

In towns and cities across the state, the United Church of Christ has been part of Texas history for more than a century. For generations, the leaders and members of our churches have served our communities—healing broken spirits, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, sharing the sorrows and joys of our neighbors.

As Christian Leaders, we affirm that transgender and non-binary people are beloved by God and are among the neighbors Jesus commanded his followers to love and treat with worth and dignity that human judgment cannot set aside. It breaks our heart that public leaders in Texas have written discrimination against transgender and nonbinary persons into law and policy and that the Governor has issued a directive to criminalize parents who are making gender-affirming medical decisions for their transgender children.

In a state that historically has been known to make commitments to the preservation of families and support of parents, this unwarranted intrusion of state power into family life is a dangerous precedent. It fosters a culture of fear and stigmatizes parents and their transgender and nonbinary children. It sends the message that the government knows better than parents and their doctors how to care for their transgender and nonbinary children. It ignores the judgment of every major professional association in health care that gender-affirming treatment can save lives.

We are praying for Texas families and their transgender children. We are with you and we love you. We call on public leaders in Texas and across the country to oppose anti-transgender and nonbinary legislation and directives, and to support policies that recognize the dignity, humanity, and equality of our transgender and nonbinary siblings.
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To sign-on click here.

This sign-on campaign is an initiative of the United Church of Christ Trans-Nonbinary Strategy Group
For more information contact: LGBT@ucc.org

Find additional resources and information

Signatures:

  1. Rev. Phil Hodson
  2. Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer
  3. Rev. Traci D. Blackmon
  4. Rev Dr. Neil G Thomas
  5. Rev. Yadi Martinez-Reyna
  6. Rev. Mak Kneebone
  7. Rev. Michael D. Schuenemeyer
  8. Tracy Howe
  9. Rev. Jennifer Amy-Dressler
  10. Rev. Steven Meineke
  11. Sharon Karasti
  12. Jennifer Yocum
  13. Lucas Neville, MA, NCC, LPC
  14. Donna J Martin
  15. Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson
  16. Rev. Paul Werner
  17. Dr. Sharon R. Fennema
  18. Barbara Satin
  19. Rev. Reebee Kavich Girash
  20. Rev. Elizabeth Stotts
  21. Rev. Amy Hitchens
  22. Hope Schwartz
  23. Bernice Powell Jackson
  24. Paula Degree
  25. Rev. John MacIver Gage, Texas-born & -raised
  26. Rev. Chris McArdle
  27. Rev. Howard Bell
  28. Rev. Ana M Wilson
  29. Rev. Gregory Briggs
  30. Rev. David W.Frey
  31. Carol Ann Woeppel
  32. Rev. Charlene Hinckley
  33. Rev. David Reppert
  34. Rev. Erin Wyma
  35. Rev. Andria M. Davis, Cathedral of Hope UCC
  36. Rev. Monica M. Powers
  37. Bonnie Forsman
  38. Rev. Vanessa Cardinale
  39. Rev. Nikki Stahl
  40. Rev. Jim Cunningham
  41. Salvador Sotelo
  42. Rev. Rushan Sinnaduray
  43. Rev. Dr. Michael Diaz
  44. Greg Carey
  45. The Rev. Beth G. Lyon
  46. Rev. Maeba Jonas
  47. Yinessa Romero
  48. Rev. Elizabeth Dilley
  49. Reverend Sharon Prestemon
  50. Marty Dreher
  51. Lisa Fennema
  52. Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals
  53. Elisa Lucozzi
  54. Rev Susie Webster-Toleno
  55. Ole Olson, Pastor
  56. Rev.Thomas L.Baynham,Jr.
  57. Jeremy Rose
  58. Sally May
  59. Guy Payne, III
  60. Laura Bryant Williams
  61. Joshua Simon
  62. Bruce P. Burnham
  63. Rev Darrin Harvey
  64. Tom Harty
  65. Rev Heather Ramsey Mabrouk
  66. Rev. James D. Ross II
  67. Rev. S. Brae Adams
  68. Rev. Jennifer Valentine
  69. Rev. Ruth Shilling Hainsworth
  70. Stacey S Cypher-Heaven
  71. Deborah Ringen
  72. Rev. Darrell Goodwin
  73. Thomas C. Sorenson
  74. Pastor Tanya Jeffcoat
  75. Rev. Carol B. White
  76. Rev. Kenneth D. Peterkin
  77. Rev. Emily Linderman
  78. Martha Cetina
  79. Reverend Mimi Lane
  80. Christopher Duncan.
  81. Rev. Douglas Vooys
  82. Mark Dingler
  83. Sally B Ponzio
  84. Greg and Kathy Turner
  85. Rev. Emily Goldthwaite Fries
  86. Paul Sherry
  87. Joan B. Moyher
  88. Katherine Lambertson
  89. Mary Butash
  90. Rev. Dr. Aaron Maurice Saari
  91. Rev. Keith M. Haithcock
  92. Cindy Z Ball
  93. Dee Ellen Dressler
  94. Michael Thorp and Joseph Bianco
  95. Rev. Dr. Malcolm Himschoot
  96. Rev. Linda Velto
  97. Sarah Reckmeyer
  98. Cindy Maddox
  99. Love & Justice Committee
    University Congregational United Church of Christ, Seattle, WA