I had a talk with a clergy friend tonight

[Juliemckay]

I have a friend who is a pastor at a local church. We got together tonight to talk about an up coming snowmobile trip. She was complaining that attendance is down due to the age of the congregation. Her church is in a very GLBT dominate community. I told her to go out and actively seek out that community, but be prepared for a few Ts/CDs sto show up at the services. She was good with the whole idea of that, and that she had she thought that the congregation wouldn't be too alarmed at first and would quickly accept the idea.

I told her to do it as a joke, but thinking about it now, it's sems like it would be a good idea.

So, my question:

How many of us would attend a church where it's OK to show up dresses however you want to? How many would balk at the idea? How many think I should have kept my mouth shut?

[Sheren Kelly]

I'm not religious, but I have visited with the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) since they were supportive of the LGBT community. An accepting church environment could be the opening for many sisters to get out of the closet, and if they truely feel welcome, they may be even more loyal than the average churchgoer.

[Faith_G]

I do. I am a member of an MCC church. Because of the way the lesbian culture denigrates femininity, I am often the ONLY person in a dress or skirt.

It's not just MCC churches. Unitarian churches are fine with anything, and many Episcopalian, UCC, and ELCA churches are trans-friendly as well. :)

I'm glad you brought it up with your friend. A lot of clergy haven't thought about the subject at all, and many have never knowingly been acquainted with a trans person so they don't have a clue of what we are really all about.

[Juliemckay]

I'm not religious, but I have visited with the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) since they were supportive of the LGBT community. An accepting church environment could be the opening for many sisters to get out of the closet, and if they truely feel welcome, they may be even more loyal than the average churchgoer.

I know that the gay/lesbian community has been shunned by most of the churches in the area. If you're willing to go with the DADT thing it's OK, you just can't be openly gay and in church around here. I have no idea how many LGBT folks would want to attend church, but it seems like there would have to be a few would would like to attend "as they are". I said it as a joke, she took me to be serious... who knows, it might work out

[DeeInGeorgia]

I attend a UCC church because I can go in a dress whenever I want. And I am not the only transgender person attending.

[Hope]

As a member of the clergy, trust that I know what I am talking about when I say this - what you have suggested will destroy your friends congregation and get her tossed out on her ear. But you don't have to worry about that - she knows it as well and won't follow through with it.

It is fine to talk about things like this with your friend, and these are exactly the sorts of things that the church SHOLD be involved in, but the sad fact is that most of christianity in America is about being a part of a culture or a club, and very little of it is about being a part of the mission of Christ. It is why churches are dyeing left and right. But I will step off of that soap box.

Would I attend a congregation where I was allowed to be who I am? You bet. But there isn't one in my neighborhood, and church and I are in a fight right now (for a variety of both related and unrelated reasons) so... right now I am not likely to attend anywhere... dressed in any manner.