strictly my opinion on this:
If you can't put the cd-ing on the back burner for an hour or two while you go to church, something is wrong. IMHO, it's very disrespectful to the rest of the people there and to God. enough said.
strictly my opinion on this:
If you can't put the cd-ing on the back burner for an hour or two while you go to church, something is wrong. IMHO, it's very disrespectful to the rest of the people there and to God. enough said.
Firstr I think it is hilariously ironic for a catholic church to tell someone they would not be welcomed if dressed en femme. especially when the prists wear layer upon layer of lacey gowns! (ok, robes)
I belong to the Whittier MCC in Whitter Ca. As all MCCs we welcome everybody no matter what gender expression they use or how they are dressed.
I am one of the straight folks in the church and am heavily involved.
We once had Troy Perry (founder of the MCC) as a guest preacher. When he was introduced to me he was more surprised that I was straight! He never saw the other me (as in the avatar). MCCs welcome any faith, creed, gender expression, and sexuality. No walls. They concentrate on the REAL meaning and teachings, not the theo-political claptrap.
And feel free to bring your SO.
Come dressed! You will be celebrated not just tolerated!
I think in general that I am very spiritual whether en femme or not. But I do feel more comfortable as Kim. When attending en femme, I have not had anyone say anything bad or give me dirty looks. All I get are genuine smiles & hello's. And when I'm there and when I'm at home I keep praying to God to show me the path he intends for me as a CD'er.Originally Posted by wannabie
Kim
"I just gotta be me"
I've gone to Catholic mass several times, including the past two Sundays,
and I've received communion every time. Not once has anyone ever treated me any differently or said anything. Everytime I go, people are just as kind and courteous as they are when I'm there as my guy self.
Before, I didn't go to church very much, but now that I love dressing up it makes going fun again.
There are two churches I normally go to and there were instances where I've, kind of, crossed paths with people I know, but in each case they never recognized me.
Hugs!
JoAnn
I love to see a beautiful woman in a nice dress, but then again, I also want to wear that dress.
I have never attended Church services en femme. Someday I probably will, but not at the Church I am a member of. I am in a prominent position of volunteer (lay) leadership and am too well known there, as is my wife. It is a very conservative Methodist Church. If I were to be outed at that Church my wife might just give me an involuntary sex change with a dull butcher's knife.
Interestingly enough though, two transgendered individuals recently started attending my Church. One of them came dressed in a nice pantsuit, full makeup, wig, etc. for one of the services. Although none of the regular members figured it out, my wife and I spotted her pretty quickly. Since that one time she has only been back in drab (although with occasional eye makeup and femme earrings) and has even joined the choir. I suspect one of the more observant staff members (or perhaps the Sr. Pastor) has said something that is discouraging her from dressing for the services. She has a friend that is also transgendered that I think may be on hormones. That one has never come to services dressed particularly femme - somewhat androgynous would be the best description. She's fairly thin (almost anorexic) and last Sunday was clearly wearing a bra under a thin t-shirt. She also was trading and applying lipstick with another friend (who I think was actually female) during the service.
I hope those two continue to attend our services and become full members. It will help bring some understanding of the TG community to some of our older, more deeply conservative members.
Phoebe
As a Catholic I have never attended service as a woman. I would dearly love to, but can't bring myself to do so. I have often dreamed about wearing my Sunday best to Mass and listening to the click clack of my heels on the marble floor and wearing a wide hat with a veil and long white gloves. It would be so wonderful to kneel there with my breasts resting on the top of the pew in front of me.
I'm a Wendy and I love it!!!!
I've gone to a catholic church a couple of times, not during mass of course, one time, a priest gave me a big smile and said hello, so I guess i 'passed'
Although I go to a very liberal church (Unitarian Universalist) that is officially welcoming of GLBT people, I have gone there as a guy for years, so if I showed up one Sunday crossdressed it would cause an incredible stir. So I like Kim's idea of dressing up and attending a church where I'm not a regular member
How about - There's a time and place for everything.
Church ain't the time or place for cd-ing. It's pretty simple.
I would go to church crossdressed if I was a transsexual. But, as a CDer, nah. Too many questions. Some would accept, some would not. Baptists are diverse in their opinions. Changing churches? Maybe, but trust is important with me in regards to preachers/priests.
Well... has anybody been to church dressed and been thrown out or excommunicated ?
As a member of and having served on the Board of Directors at Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis I would encourage anyone that feels the need to worship enfemme to join us or any MCC for worship. This also holds for many UCC churches - I attended Christmas Eve services at Epiphany UCC in St. Louis due to MCCGSL being in rental quarters and not having a service this year due to scheduling problems. Despite it being my first time there I was made welcome and the service was beautiful.
If you are curious about how MCC in general views the whole question of transgender the link below is to a sermon from an MCC church pastor that explores both transgender and the acceptance there of. Well worth your time to download and listen to - is is long - about a half hour (15 MB in MP3 format) but worth the time to listen to.
http://www.jesusmcc.org/listen/archi...ry/transgender
And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
-Anais Nin
Peace,
Alice
If anyone lives in or near Indianapolis and would like to attend church dressed and not be thought of as weird or feel out of place, seriously check out this website http://www.jesusmcc.org/
I have been going here for about a year or so as Shannon and have never felt bad about doing so.
You leave for home feeling uplifted.
You want to wear a WHAT??
It doesn't. That's simply incorrect that the Church would "tell someone they would not be welcomed if dressed en femme." The Catholic Church has no teaching whatsoever regarding crossdressing and transsexualism. All Catholic Churches must teach as laid out by the Magisterium. Priests and pastors are not free to makeup their own teaching based upon their own ideas, feelings, or what they perceive from the Bible.
No, you cannot be excommunicated for something is that not a sin. Crossdressing is not regarded to be sinful. Simple as that.
Warm regards,
Christina Nicole
Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. They come to the door of memory unannounced, stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave. Our lives are measured by these.
--Susan B. Anthony
I have been to church a couple of times en femme, but not to "my" church (Presbyterian). I have attended services at the MCC church in Santa Ana, Ca. as "Joni" and was very warmly welcomed each time. My gay brother-in-law lives with my wife and myself and I (Joni) got him interested in going to the MCC church. He's been going to it regularly and has become a member of the congregation. More than once or twice I've mentioned to my wife that I wanted to accompany her brother to church and she said that if I wanted to go with him, it's fine with her. Boy, do I love my wife or what?
Just wanted to share with you all.
Luv Ya
Joni
I've found a catholic church in downtown Manhattan that is accepting to Trangendered and CD's alike, but I haven't gone in enfemme yet. and I don't know why.
Two things stopping me is
1) I'm not catholic.
2) I need a push and I haven't anyone pushing me.
I know, "Lame..." but I guess I need that encouragement to get me started.
way I grew up churches are considered sacred places. I know crossdressing isn't a sin but I'm guess I'm just afraid of not being I don't know I guess the word is feminine enough.
Stupid reason I know, but its my stupid reason.
PUSHMEPLEASE!!
______________________________
I will be forever my Mother's loving Daughter and my Fathers Princess
Church is a sacred place. If you were to go to church dressed as a show girl to simply draw attention to yourself and disrupt Mass, then it would be wrong to go. If you go as the person you believe you are, then you will not show disrespect to the sacredness of the place. As I have said in other posts, I have gone many times and I usually pray to God saying that I accept that he made me the way I present and asking for him to let me know why and what I am supposed to do with this "talent".
Leann
Leann
Enjoy who you are but stay safe.
Huh? You are debating with yourself about going to catholic church dressed and you aren't catholic? There is an easy answer, don't go. Churches aren't for us to go test the waters, they are for partaking of your faith. There certainly are plenty of places to go out to. Now if you are thinking about converting, then that is another thing, but I am not reading that in your message.
I agree with what LeannL and Sue_CD wrote. However, if you feel that something sacred that you had when growing up is now missing from your life and you are truely and honestly interested in Catholicism, then there is nothing inherently wrong with going to that church. The only issue in how you represent yourself is that you present yourself respectfully.
You may wish to look at some Catholic web site to see what it is all about. http://catholiceducation.org, http://www.ewtn.com, and http://www.catholic.org
Warm regards,
Christina Nicole
Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. They come to the door of memory unannounced, stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave. Our lives are measured by these.
--Susan B. Anthony
I'm not testing the waters. I really want to go as who I am but there's just too much pounded into me from when i was younger. the thing is that catholic church was the only one I can find in the area where no one knows me. I'm still in the closet you can say.
______________________________
I will be forever my Mother's loving Daughter and my Fathers Princess
Recommend UUC
I go to church as Marla all the time. The church is Unitarian Universalist (UU) and I find them quite accepting. I would also note that the church actively supports the GLBT community.
If you are looking for a church that is absent in dogma, openminded, loving and accepting, you could do a lot worse than UU.
Marla
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