Understanding Transgender Identities: Four Views | A Conversation with Christian Educators

Transgender Woman Talking

In this episode, Elle reflects about a conversation she had with educators and medical providers at Loma Linda University, a Seventh-day Adventist college and hospital in southern california. The table talk itself was not recorded, but Elle brings her report before, immediately after, and in retrospect of what happened. What she had erroneously thought of as an interview or panel discussion prior turned out to be an intimate chat with a group of empathetic educators, many or most of whom were allies. The group is exploring a book published by Baker Academic, exploring four contrasting Christian theological interpretations of transgender identities (link to book). Warning, for people with religious trauma, and for transgender people from Christian backgrounds, this book features some incredibly hostile messaging that could be equated with hate speech. For this reason, Elle cannot recomend it, even though she resonated with Justin Sabia-Tanis' and Megan Defranza's contributions.

Additional recommended resources on the intersection between Christianity and LGBTQ people include:

• Trans-Gender by Justin Sabia-Tanis
• Dazzling Darkness by Rachel Mann
• Transforming by Austen Hartke
• Take Back The Word by Goss and West (out of print)
• Work by Marcella Althous-Reid including Trans/Formations
• Bad Theology Kills by Kevin Garcia

As always, please reach out to Elle at [e-mail] with your constructive feedback and affirmations.

Soon, Elle will be open for seeing clients looking for psychotherapy in the State of California. Stay tuned!