I believe that God has called me—as one of those people who might be listed among the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame—to stand up and say that I am not sure that I am welcome in the circle. You see, while I identify myself as a woman, I was not born with a female body. I am a transgendered person. It is about welcoming people like me that I am concerned.
I have been in a number of churches over the years that call themselves welcoming congregations and have noticed the limits of that welcome. I acknowledge that there are good reasons for not accepting people like me. I look “different.” I am here to pray on behalf of those who are your sisters by choice rather than by birth. Will you welcome people like me into your circle?
This message is adapted from “Speaking Boldly” written by Elisabeth Kellogg in the June 2005 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.
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