Gender Justice Teach-In Series, Part 3:
Faith in Action for Trans Inclusion
What we learned:
This training surveys what opportunities for action the current legislative landscape offers faith-led advocates. Beyond national and state-level action, participants will also learn how to implement proactive policies and programs in their home churches.
Series Trainer: Alex Patchin McNeill
Alex Patchin McNeill is the executive director of More Light Presbyterians and is the first openly transgender person to head a mainline Protestant organization. He is a life-long Presbyterian, and a nationally known educator and advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) Christians. He played key roles organizing faith communities for the passage of Amendment 10A in the PC(USA), and for marriage equality legislation in Maryland. McNeill has also campaigned for ballot measures and legislation to promote LGBTQ rights. His journey to ordination is currently being chronicled in the documentary, Out of Order. Alex holds a Master’s of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. He currently lives in Asheville, NC with his wife and three dogs.
Check out the links below to see what we learned in parts 1 and 2!
Part 1 – What we learned:
- A vocabulary for welcome
- fresh ways to discuss gender identity and sexual orientation that look for commonalities, rather than categories
Part 2 – What we learned:
- the rich biblical foundation for trans inclusion
- ways churches have successfully made worship more welcoming to trans and non-binary folks
- tools and tactics to make your church spaces more intentionally welcoming of trans identities.