Dichotomy:
The Struggle for Religion in a
Transgendered World

By: Stacy Clement
© 1996 Transgender Forum and Stacy Clement
E-Mail: tedclem@ix.netcom.com

Open the pages of any transgender newsletter, fanzine, or journal and you are likely as not to get an eye full of response to the right's Chrisitan Conservative rhetoric.

It may come in the form of reports on new laws or propositions proposed by the Four Square Gospel Church, demonstrations against equal rights for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered fore fronted by the likes of Lon Mabon (of Oregon Citizen's Alliance fame), or it may be an article about how the transgendered community must remain ever vigilante against the forces of religion.

This is, in my opinion as an observer of the trans-world, to be expected and to be taken only at face value. The origins of the internal and now external battle between transgendered people of all sorts and the organized religions of the world are relatively easy to trace and in doing so on paper, may illuminate some of the discomfort held within.

I have heard more transgendered people say that they have, in one way or another, given up organized religion (myself included). Now, in pondering this great commonality I suggest to you, gentle reader, that this is not only understandable, it is unnecessary.

Let us look briefly at what I believe to be the origin of this near universal split with the church (I use the lowercase 'c' in church so as to be all inclusive as I talk about religion in general). How many, raise your hands please, were raised in religious families; going to Sunday School as children, confirmation or catechism as adolescents, and so on. Me too. How many of you, at some point in your life, probably around puberty (12-16 yrs.) prayed regularly — for me it was nightly — that God would make me a girl? And who among that group awoke some glorious morn to find little bosoms sprouting and your hips broadening? I thought so. This speaks to the fundamental teaching of most religions, and certainly all Christianity — ask and ye shall receive...pray and if you are worthy, your prayers will be answered. For a young person of twelve or so, who takes the first step towards righteousness in praying (existential philosophers call it spiritual, philosophical suicide), this comes as a doubly hard slap in the face when the prayers go unanswered. Add to that the overt and covert guilt that is inculcated into our self-image and its no wonder that we purge, feel depression, and seek mental health care.

"I prayed every night like I was taught, and God never came through on his end of the bargain to answer that prayer. It was only one prayer and I prayed it really hard and felt really certain that if I was good enough and prayed hard enough that I would get what I prayed for. And you want to know why I don't go to church, why I don't believe in your God, why I spend my Sunday mornings, (or Saturday nights) in other activities?"

So now we are faced with the slings and arrows (to paraphrase Bill) of outrageous prejudice and fear. The conservative governmental bodies, the churches and their holier-than-thou dictum, and our own internalized tumultuous upbringing, combine to send us wandering in the spiritual desert searching for a good psycho-therapist.

As adults we still seek some understanding and peace with the supreme being (called God or whatever), sought some other alternative belief system, or we have gone the route of the atheist. Chances are that we are still seeking a peaceful coexistence with our spiritual side. I would like to tell you that you can recover from this angst by heading straight for a support group, a social worker, or a surgeon, but it just ain't so. The path must be your own; it must be of your unique design in direction and timing; and you alone have to decide not just which direction to take it, but moreover, whether to take it or not.

My point? Well, I guess my point is, that we need not fear the religious right. After all none of them has volunteered to go off and test their theory of a god-ness by dying and coming back to report on it (though I would heartily contribute to financing the trip). Rather, and easier and I believe more effective, we must seek our own level of spirituality. I, like many of my sisters, have investigated and now embrace an American Indian 'Berdache' kind of religious ilk.

Even around my hyper-religious mother and sister I cling to the beliefs of a Mother Earth and show them that my faith is every bit as strong and worthy as is theirs. Whenever I encounter a member of the religious right, my stance is one of embrace and unconditional love, rather than confrontation and fight. Oh, I can argue scripture with the best of them (ask the two Portland Baptist Bible College students with whom I spent two tremulous hours a couple years back), but I seek to disarm them with a hug (ever try to swing a club at someone when you are being hugged?).

We need not be anti-religion to be anti-hate. I believe that virtually all the actions that come from Fundamentalists, Catholic extremists and Right Wing Conservatives, are based in fear (but then I believe their are only two base emotions — love and fear — but more about that later). We can diffuse the fear by sending them love. After all, if you want to get an opponents goat big time, send him what he thinks you are least capable of. Okay, so it won't work for all situations, in all communities, for all people. Be capable of fighting back if need be...but hold it as a last resort and remain peaceful. That'll really screw 'em up!


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