Intersex Prayers

I have recently found an old notebook with a couple of prayers I have written for people who are intersex or those of us ministering to them. Please feel free to use as you sit fit. Creator God, Thank you for the body you have so lovingly woven together and formed for me, may I …

LLF Response

Part of the Church of England's LLF (Living in Love and Faith) Project is about using what is already happening on the ground, in local churches, in the hope that it may enlighten their work, discussions and subsequent public guidance. I was asked to contribute my own experiences of inclusive church by answering these four …

11/12/2018 – Guidance for Gender Transition Services

Today the Church Of England has published guidance for conducting services marking an individual's gender transition. In July 2017 General Synod voted (with strong support from all three houses) in favour of a consideration to create a formal set liturgy that celebrates the gender transition and name change of transgender individuals. This arose from a …

Life Together

I must confess I couldn't escape adopting the succinct yet profound title of Bonhoeffer's writings - Life Together - for my own ponderings on community. In his work he outlines the essential principles of Christian fellowship, gleaned in the backdrop of the pre-war German underground. At a time when Hitler’s hate was on the rise, Dietrich …

Transgender FAQs

Do all trans people know they are trans as a child? No. People can realise they are transgender at any age. It might be from the age of 4 that a child is insistent on being the other gender. Others may discover it their gender identity through puberty, some people can trace their awareness back …

7 Myths About Non-Binary Folk

Many people have approached me this week asking me to write about the non-binary identity. Many people can conceptualise and to and extent understand what it means to transition from one binary gender to the other, however when introducing the idea of a spectrum and anything that falls in the middle it seems to blow …

The Transgender History

I thought it was about time this week that we'd sit down an explore the rich history of the transgender community - with all it's quirks and qualms. Transgender history is largely unknown, but for me this is why it is fascinating. Although perceived as a recent phenomenon, trans people have been around for a …

Medical Transition

I find people are most interested in a transgender person's medical transition but never really ask the questions, or do it such vague terms they never get to the point. Some trans people will be fine answering these questions, others however may find it awkward and uncomfortable. Personally, I am happy talking about it as …

Dysphoria

You may have heard the term dysphoria batted around a lot or maybe you haven't, to be honest it is not a commonly used word if you aren't in gender-variant circles. The NHS describes gender dysphoria as: Gender dysphoria is a condition where a person experiences discomfort or distress because there's a mismatch between their …