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Trans faith leaders, activists call for faith-based fight for trans rights

‘We cannot cede morality to those who would use it as a weapon’

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(Photo by nito/Bigstock)

The Transforming Hearts Collective led a webinar on Tuesday for pro-LGBTQ Christians. Featuring trans religious leaders and activists including Transforming Hearts Collective founders Zr. Alex Kapitan, Teo Drake, and Rev. Mykal Slack alongside trans and HIV human rights advocate Katie Willingham, Soulforce Executive Director Rev. Alba Onofrio, and legal and policy strategist and human rights advocate Sam Ames, the webinar foregrounded the moral and spiritual need to defend trans lives. 

Rev. Slack, community minister for Worship & Spiritual Care for Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism, began the webinar by grounding attendees spiritually. “My God is a God who I know loves me.” It is critical to be “doing trans justice work from a faith perspective because it is the ongoing, everyday outward expression of God as love that reminds us,” Slack continued at the start of the webinar, “especially when we’re constantly getting messages to the contrary, how valuable our lives are.” This is the work of disrupting hateful messages and harmful theology, Rev. Slack continued. 

The Transforming Hearts Collective, co-leader and Unitarian Universalist community minister Zr. Alex Kapitan shared, is a national trans-led, faith-based organization based in North Carolina that helps trans and queer people to access healing and resilience and helps faith communities be welcoming refuges for queer and trans people. 

“We do a lot of work with faith groups,” Kapitan said in an interview, “that are pro-LGBTQ but sometimes need a little bit of help to figure out how to live into that value in this moment, how to show up for queer and trans people right now.” 

This webinar, funded by the Arcus Foundation, is the result of year-long work to help pro-LGBTQ+ Christians understand trans identity and the ways in which trans people have been used as a mobilizing target among far-right politicians and faith leaders. This is why the webinar was specifically targeted at pro-LGBTQ+ Christians but welcomed all people because, as Kapitan explained, Christianity has been weaponized by white Christian nationalists against trans people.

“This particular webinar grew out of wanting to speak directly to progressive Christians,” Kapitan said, “and equip them to show up in this moment and not cede religion to the religious right.” As Sam Ames shared after an overview of current anti-trans legislation in the webinar, far-right politicians “have expected religion to be on the side of fear. We cannot cede morality to those who would use it as a weapon. It is our responsibility as people of faith to use it as a shield.” 

But even if people agree with this, Kapitan explained, the faith communities they work with often do not feel comfortable standing up for or discussing trans peoples’ lives because they do not know enough about trans lives and as a result become susceptible to anti-trans disinformation. 

The goal of the webinar and the companion resource collection–one of three courses by the Transforming Hearts Collective–offered to attendees is to mobilize pro-LGBTQ+ Christians around trans rights as a moral and human rights issue, that trans people are sacred and worthy like all other people, that trans people are being used as scapegoats by far-right Christian nationalists, and that gender affirming care is not only a form of spiritual care but also suicide prevention. This is more critical than ever with the growing anti-trans conversion therapy movement; most of the programs and practitioners involved are faith based. 

“I fully believe, as a person of faith,” Kapitan said, “that we are each called to be a full authentic self and that only we can know, in conversation with the divine, what that fullness looks like, so I do believe that gender identity and gender expression are a key component of our authenticity. If you are able to have the care that’s needed to help you fully embody that sense of self, that is 100% a spiritual thing for a lot of people.”

“Whether that is directly because there are trans people joining on the call who are at the end of their rope and they need to hear faith leaders say ‘who you are is valid, who you are is real, who you are is worthy and divine,’” Kapitan said, or helping people of faith make more space, show up more fully, be a stronger voice in their contexts, whether that’s inside their own church, whether that’s in their local legislature in a way that trans people see, this work is live saving. 

Teo Drake, a fellow Transforming Hearts Collective co-leader and community organizer, speaks to the importance of being embraced by his own communities, during the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s and today. Drake was raised Catholic and educated in the Catholic school system in the 1980s as a visible queer and gender nonconforming person. Choosing to transition and live as his authentic self as a queer trans man gave him a reason to fight to survive living with HIV/AIDS. Drake is now a practicing Buddhist and says that the practice helps him to be resilient in hard times.

“For a lot of folks in faith,” Drake said in an interview, “it’s important to say that you can as one single human being be connected to many others. It makes a huge difference just simply holding someone personally, holding them in community, wrapping yourselves around them,” as the webinar invites pro-LGBTQ Christians to do. “As someone who has survived the AIDS epidemic and lived with HIV for a long time, the effects of people showing up, even though there was a fear of HIV, I’m here because of their courage to buck the system.”

Drake continues that this visibility of trans and queer faith leaders alongside cis faith leaders affirming the existence and belonging of trans and queer people is especially important for young people. “It’s really huge for youth in particular to see their congregation, the ministers they know down the street suddenly stand up and say ‘not on my watch.’ Kids and youth are hearing all the media, but they’re not hearing the good media. They need to hear it out in the public square that someone is going to put their body on the line for them.”

This webinar and the accompanying resources–or rather five-part-course–makes clear that it is the responsibility of all Christians to affirm trans lives. “People have a responsibility to learn about that disinformation,” Kapitan said, “that propaganda, and at the very least, be able to recognize it, if not be able to counter it,” and to educate their neighbors, friends, and families about rampant anti-trans disinformation, to invite and empower more people of faith to join the resistance against the far-right anti-trans Christian nationalist movement. 

Because as Kapitan explained, “these systems that trans people are suffering the most under right now, they affect everyone. They hurt everyone. They limit everyone. So much of my own call to ministry is to help everyone get free because if trans people are free then all of us can be free from gender-based violence, restrictions and norms.” Trans people are just one of many groups targeted by Christian nationalist groups, and it’s not just about trans and queer people today but about future generations of trans and queer children that will continue to be born into religious families. 

For them and for other LGBTQ+ individuals, religion may be a key part of how they approach the world, and it’s only by mobilizing queer and trans-affirming Christians–people whose communities have caused the greatest harm as a result of widespread anti-trans legislation and theologizing–that hearts and futures will be transformed for the better. 

The Defend Trans Lives resource collection was created by the Transforming Hearts Collective in partnership with enfleshed, Soulforce, and Queer Theology. It is a free course offered alongside the 6-session online course, “Trans Inclusion in Congregations,” and shorter course, “Responding to the Anti-Trans Movement,” also offered by the Transforming Hearts Collective. 

The Defend Trans Lives collection includes five videos featuring trans faith leaders and trans activists from the Transgender Law Center, the National LGBTQ Task Force, the Human Rights Campaign, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, and more–including several faith leaders and activists who presented at the webinar. 

These videos, like the webinar, seek to empower people of faith to become active, educated advocates and organizers for trans rights. Out of respect for the risks involved for interviewees, people accessing the course are required to sign into the site in order to access but once people sign into the website, all of the coursework is completely free.

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TRAITOR: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has blood on his hands

Nation’s highest-ranking gay public official is a MAGA sell out

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

It’s an odd dichotomy: President Trump appoints the highest-ranking openly gay government official in history in Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, yet he launches cruel attacks on transgender Americans. 

Make no mistake: Those attacks are claiming lives. Trans people are killing themselves. I know of one trans person who died by suicide on Election Night, overwhelmed by fear of the incoming administration. Trump’s attacks have driven trans Americans and their families to flee the country and move to Canada, as the Blade has reported. 

None of this is hypothetical or melodramatic. It’s real life and happening everywhere. 

And so when Bessent was confirmed as Treasury Secretary, I wrote an op-ed urging him to educate Trump about the plight of trans Americans and the destructiveness of the attacks on the community. I waited 90 days for some sign that Bessent has a heart or at least a modicum of decency but sadly, I must report that he does not. 

The attacks on the LGBTQ community under Trump keep coming. Last week’s news that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is planning to retire the national 988 crisis lifeline for LGBTQ youth on Oct. 1 is just the latest evidence that this administration doesn’t just dislike us — they want us dead.

“Ending the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ youth specialized services will not just strip away access from millions of LGBTQ+ kids and teens — it will put their lives at risk,” Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement.

The service for LGBTQ youth has received 1.3 million calls, texts, or chats since its debut, with an average of 2,100 contacts per day in February.

Make no mistake: cutting this service will kill young LGBTQ people.

Just a couple of weeks earlier, Trump’s administration announced the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy would be gutted. 

“In a matter of just a couple days, we are losing our nation’s ability to prevent HIV,” said HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute Executive Director Carl Schmid.

And prior to that, Trump issued a series of executive orders targeting the trans community — restricting access to affirming healthcare, banning trans service members from the military, barring trans women and girls from playing sports, eliminating the “X” gender marker on passports, and barring students assigned male at birth from using women’s restrooms.  

Let’s be very clear: When you deny someone the ability to use the bathroom, you deny their humanity.

So back to Scott Bessent, the billionaire hedge fund manager now running our economy into the ground. As many Trump protesters have noted: silence is complicity. And Bessent has been silent on all of these horrific attacks on trans Americans and their basic humanity. He is spineless and a traitor to the LGBTQ community. 

Bessent runs the U.S. Treasury and reportedly has Trump’s ear on all matters related to the economy. He could easily push Trump in a better, more compassionate direction, yet there is no evidence he has done that. 

“The LGBTQ+ community is counting on openly LGBTQ+ nominees like Scott Bessent to step up for the community,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson after the inauguration. Sadly, it’s become clear we cannot count on Bessent. As I wrote in January, Trump likes his queer people gay, white, cis, rich, and obedient. 

Bessent has ignored the Blade’s interview requests. (And after this is published, I have no illusions he will change his mind.) The mainstream media, increasingly cowed by Trump, have failed to ask Bessent even the most basic questions about his views on trans equality and Trump’s attacks. 

As a member of the LGBTQ community, Bessent has a responsibility to at least speak up on behalf of trans people who are suffering. But Republicans today have lost their spines. They genuflect before their Dear Leader, line their own pockets, and leave the rest of us to deal with the consequences. 

The crisis is real. People are dying. Trans people especially are suffering. The rest of us must do what we can to mitigate that suffering and to speak out in defense of our trans friends. 


Kevin Naff is editor of the Washington Blade. Reach him at [email protected].

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Congressional Equality Caucus should participate in WorldPride

Make bold statement about our commitment to LGBTQ rights

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(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Trump administration, by its actions, has already hurt WorldPride. By attacking trans people, they have gotten many nations to suggest to trans citizens they not come to the United States. Canada’s queer group has said it is advising its people not to come. It is sad in so many ways. But despite what the felon in the White House is doing, WorldPride will be a success. It can be a time to not only have fun, but to make a point to the administration and the world. What was the old saying, “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere, so get used to it.”  The LGBTQ community in the United States has made great strides since Stonewall in 1969, and there is no way we are going back into the closet. 

One way we can make a strong statement is if every member of the Congressional Equality Caucus would come out and join hands with constituents from their state, who are coming to D.C. for WorldPride. Together, they can take a stand for equality. Together, they can make a statement about our country to the world; that the United States values and supports its LGBTQ community. 

This year from May 17-June, we are anticipating huge crowds in Washington, D.C. for WorldPride. Let us together make sure they are all safe and that they have an exciting and fun time while here. But at the same time we should use this gathering to speak out, for our community here, and the LGBTQ community around the world. 

We must show the felon in the White House, and his MAGA acolytes in Congress, and around the nation, all those who would keep us down, we can, and will, stand up for ourselves. We are only willing to move one way, and that is forward toward full equality. Many years ago, during the early fight for recognition of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there was an event staged by the group ACT UP, called ‘hands around the White House.’ It is time to stage something like that again. 

With all the attacks on the trans community, and as threats to the entire LGBTQ community continue, we need to stand together, and stay strong. We need to join with everyone else who is fighting back against the felon, and his Nazi sympathizing co-president, in the White House. To join in the demonstrations, fight back, and not fall for the distractions meant to take us from our goals. Those goals must include defeating every Republican in elections in 2025, and taking back Congress in 2026. I say every Republican, only because today there is no longer a rational Republican Party. That party has become a MAGA Party, or ‘Cult of Trump.’ That is sad, but it’s true. It is not up to Democrats, or independents, to change the Republican Party; it is up to us to ensure their defeat until they change themselves. 

Until then we must work hard to elect Democrats across the nation. From school board, to county council, from statehouse to Congress. For the LGBTQ community that is the only way we will move forward on equality. It is the only way we can defeat those who want to ban books about our lives, and try to force us back in the closet. We must say a resounding NO to that. 

We must vote for Democrats because history shows us, any other vote, a vote for a third party, helps Republicans win. The reality, like it or not, is today there are only two parties that can win a general election. Yes, in a few rare districts, a third party has won. But this is rare and let’s not take the chance of that happening if there isn’t a history in your state, or district, or community, where it happened in the past. Be smart! While you may not like everything the Democratic Party stands for, it has proven, its members stand for the rights of the LGBTQ community. The incredible progress since Stonewall has been because the Democratic Party has worked with the activists in our midst, to make that progress. Let’s not give up now and move backwards with the MAGA Party. Together, let’s retake our government, and continue to move forward until we have full equality. That must be the goal we join hands for, and pledge to work toward. 


Peter Rosenstein is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist.

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How I changed my documents

Process in Md. cost around $300

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identification, gay news, Washington Blade
(Bigstock photo)

With legislation making it more difficult for transgender and gender non-conforming people to change their passports and other documents, it is now a race against the clock to change as many of them as possible. 

Trans Maryland and Advocates for Trans Equality are among the groups that offer workshops and online resources.

Here’s how I did it in Maryland:

A letter from your primary care provider

The first thing you’ll need to get any of this rolling is a document from your primary care provider that shows proof of hormone therapy, gender incongruence, or both. In my experience, this is important to have prior to getting anything started because some states require some sort of proof in order to certify the change.

Some courts may need a therapist’s letter as well, but it depends on what state you live in. With this document, you’ll be able to bring it to the respective offices and it will give a valid reason for you to get your desired gender marker.

A court order

The next thing you will need is a court order that recognizes your gender identity. It is a precaution just to avoid any wasted time or confusion at any offices going forward. You will go to the circuit court website for what state/county you reside in and find a document that is a petition to change your gender. Here is an example from Maryland. 

You will print that document and fill out the petition for your respective titles with or without a name change and take it to the Circuit Court. Some courts may require the appointment. There, you will present the petition and letter and pay a fee — Maryland’s fee is $165, however there are fee waivers for those that apply. After, you will wait some weeks for the court order to show up.

Social Security card

Unfortunately, as of January 2025, the Social Security Administration has ceased any gender changes in their system. As with the fight for passports reflecting the holder’s proper gender identity, the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union may bring a case to regain access in the future.

Identity card/driver’s license

After getting your primary care letter and court order, make a standard appointment for Identification Services at the local DMV and bring the paperwork. Though the Maryland Court’s website says there is no need to get a court order to change any documents, the clerk at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (Maryland’s DMV) stressed that I needed the updated Social Security card changed in order to get an updated ID.

I was able to get it changed prior to the Trump-Vance administration, however given the current circumstances, if there is any pushback from any clerk or official who say they require a Social Security card, very adamantly cite the official gov website if applicable, and use the court order, despite the fact you should not need one to get your ID updated.

Birth certificate

Should all have gone well with the ID, the last document to amend is the birth certificate. 

Unfortunately, this may be the most difficult document that you are able to amend because it must be done within your home state and some states, such as Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas, have already banned altering birth certificates. 

In D.C., where I changed my own, there have been no known issues or legislation passed for changing the name and gender marker on the document. You will search your state government websites for the vital records department, find a Gender Designation Application and fill out the necessary information. The D.C. application is here:

On D.C.’s application, you must sign the document in front of a notary in order for it to be valid. Several mail offices, such as UPS, offer notary services for relatively cheap. Upon getting the application notarized, you can bring all documents you have already updated along with the court order and primary care letter to an appointment at the vital records office. All the previous work done should make this fairly easy if you are in a state that hasn’t made heavy strides to halt the process. 

All in all, with about a month of your time, about $300, and a state that supports your right to self-actualization, you should still be able to change most of your documents.

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