a "cure"

[KarenW]

All of the Christian folks I know hate this kind of thing. Nary a day goes by when I don't hear some hurtful remark about gay/trans from them. And their need to deliver the person from these demonic forces.

Wassup w/ that?

[Valerie]

Maybe they just need to look at the person inside instead of what they look like.Thats my opinion on that.

[Loretta Ann]

Hi Beauty,

Ok, so did you just say you don't feel that our biggest hurdle is that religious and secular people think there's something wrong with us?

That is correct honey.

If so I don't understand how acknowledging that the world feels this way brings us to our knees?

I did not say it does, and it does not bring me to my knees.

Should I live in denial?

No I don't support that...But there is a danger of being in denial that it will ever be any different. (Re refusing to acknowledge that this falls under the category as being something we can not change.)

I don't understand how the world's view of us being "not right" has anything to do with us being accepted by silent groups of people who aren't against us (religious or not).

I am at a loss to understand where you got that from. It has nothing to do with the worlds view of us not being right. Nor does it have anything to do with any silent groups. What it involves is that the mature will accept us while the immature will not. And you will always find the mature and immature among any group of people.
The mature silently support us as opposed to attempting to change the world. (Not meaning silent to those they support) but silent to those who are unaware of the support. Mainly as a result of their ignorance that these people exist with in the groups we like to criticize.

Cheers.

[Loretta Ann]

All of the Christian folks I know hate this kind of thing. Nary a day goes by when I don't hear some hurtful remark about gay/trans from them. And their need to deliver the person from these demonic forces.

Wassup w/ that?

Well guess what Karen.... More than one Christian (Involved in leadership) has told me that we have the right to be who we are. These people are my friends by my choice. It appears we live in different worlds.

The reference you make applies only to certain denominations.

So wassup w/ you Doc?

Cheers.

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

Not all Christian folks are trans- or homophobic. In fact here in California some of them were involved in the efforts to legalize gay marriage. As Loretta said, it depends on the denomination.

As far as feel about us, based on my own experiences and the experiences of others I've got a feeling a lot of people are more accepting than we give them credit for. They may not understand it, they may think it's eccentric, they may not be willing to actively support it -- but they're willing to live and let live. Obviously I do live in a very tolerant area (for the most part), so your mileage may vary, but I've also heard heart-warming stories from places that you wouldn't think of as being T-friendly.

In particular, there's well-documented survey showing that the younger generations are much more tolerant toward homoseuxality, so I'm willing to bet this could extend to t-folks as well.

Which isn't to say that bigots don't exist, merely that our fears lead us to think they're more prevalent than they are.

[KarenW]

I am yet to meet a Christian besides myself, who I do not know to be any form of a 'gender-variant' personality to be incluisive of anything that smacks of gay or trans expression. I have folks who work with me and this kind of thing appears to be their GREATEST fear. They apppear to be constantly on the lookout for anyone who appears to be 'suspect', and have no problem constantly denouncing the subject. All I hear is "those kinds of folks need to be 'delivered' and need to stop trying to be someone God did not design them to be". To them it seems a no-brainer. You are man or woman, period. And you will be very sorry for continuing in this wicked, unclean behavior. I have heard that verbatim so many times i has made me physically and emotionally ill. And they don't even know this about me. They'd damm near crucify me if they found out. This is the reality I live in daily. Constantly fearful and wondering what they are gonna come up with next. Why me lawd, why me?

[Kathy]

Hi Karen,

As was stated before, it depends on where you live as to the reaction. But, while reading your posts, I kept thinking of the line "thou dost protest too much". The next time one of those folks is ranting in your ear, try picturing what color panties he's wearing under his pants. Most times, those who cry the loudest have something to hide themselves. Maybe he has tatting on his BVDs?

But, seriously, the pastor of my mother's church stops by here from time to time since my mother can't get out to attend services. While I have never told her of my CDing, we have talked a bit on the subject of GLBT issues. While she doesn't understand how someone comes to be this way, she accepts the fact that people are who they are and we wouldn't be this way if GOD hadn't made it so. This from an ordained minister of the Congregational Church in a small, rural, mostly "red neck" community.

Please don't condem the entire Christian community on the basis of a few local hot heads.

Love,
Kathy

[Loretta Ann]

Hi all,

Kathy and Darla's contributions to this thread are good ones.

Karen...

I am yet to meet a Christian besides myself, who I do not know to be any form of a 'gender-variant' personality to be inclusive of anything that smacks of gay or trans expression. I have folks who work with me and this kind of thing appears to be their GREATEST fear. They appear to be constantly on the lookout for anyone who appears to be 'suspect', and have no problem constantly denouncing the subject. All I hear is "those kinds of folks need to be 'delivered' and need to stop trying to be someone God did not design them to be". To them it seems a no-brainer. You are man or woman, period. And you will be very sorry for continuing in this wicked, unclean behavior. I have heard that verbatim so many times i has made me physically and emotionally ill. And they don't even know this about me. They'd damn near crucify me if they found out. This is the reality I live in daily. Constantly fearful and wondering what they are gonna come up with next. Why me lawd, why me?

If it has made you physically and emotionally ill, Then you have a problem. Note I said YOU!!! As there are people in my world that would like to affect me the same way. If I let them It is called controlling others.

Let me ask you a question? Do you make it that easy for others to determine how you are going to feel? If you do you are a willing floor mat, and need to find some different tools than you presently possess to help you deal with this.

I guess I see it; as though you are living one hell of a life. I have no desire to join you there.

There are Christians on this site who support you. Some of them you know who they are others you do not. There is even A pastor who is a member of this site.

The world is best described as a family that have both mature and immature people living in it. Some of those members will go on to reach a level of maturity that others will go to their grave without ever obtaining. They will enter their late teens believing that the world is wrong and spend the rest of their lives attempting to change that.

Those who stay on that route miss out on a lot in life. They spend most of their time expecting the world to meet their needs. Which translates into what is often called the whiners as opposed to the doers in life.

Every one wants equality in life. "Some" not realizing that for some of that there is an individual responsibility involved in obtaining some of the things they desire.

Cheers.

[Absaroka]

I'm a Christian. We seem to have a transgendered person in our church. The church hands out stuff to support GLBT stuff. Our church is highly respected in our town and neighboring towns here in New England.
And yes in the same town we have plenty of Christians who view people3 like me as an abomination.

There are probably a hundred million CHristians in the US alone. We couldn't possibly all agree on stuff like this when we can't even agree what to call our church-Congregational, Catholic, Baptist and so on.
Andrea

[KarenW]

You 100% correct, it IS my problem . I come on here whinning alot I know. Like someone else is supposed to solve my problems for me. In
every other aspect of my life I am successful exept for this one. I can go for a while not letting it get to me, but after a while, I go back into the same bad habit of letting p.ple define me by their comments. Case in point, I just got back from the Getaway at Eureka Springs. It was my 3rd time attending and we were having a wonderful time. I had just gotten 3 comments from ladies in one of the stores about my look. Feeling I was the cutest thing in the sun, and dressed quite conservatively (blue jean knee-length jumper, navy tights, and blue flats ) I set off down the sidewalk with a new found confidence. That is ,until I encountered this family that apparently consisted of a mother, her mother and the daughter. They saw me coming an immediately begin to huddle the child closer to them. As I pased I heard the older lady say "Lord Jesus help us Lord". How does one not allow themselves to be hurt by that? I am seriously looking for advice here, I have got to find some measure of consistent peace with this.
I am finding that as time goes on, the 'recovery' period from these kinds of things is less and less. It shot my trip down, but only for a couple of hours this time. By that evening I was on my way back out and confident again. But then I get back home, hear something else and my mind immediatley goes back to that woman on the street and hopelessness, when I should have been concentrating on the positive comments.

[DonnaT]

a mother, her mother and the daughter. They saw me coming an immediately begin to huddle the child closer to them. As I pased I heard the older lady say "Lord Jesus help us Lord".

That's when you stop and respond with "Yes Lord, help these poor ladies have better tolerance for their fellow human beings, no matter how different they may seem. Have a good day ladies." Smile and walk off.

[Beauty]

. . .

Please lets not make this a religious thread. Not just Loretta Ann, but anyone who wishes to add to this. Thanks!

I guess you all missed this. This thread is being locked if you wish to continue it please start the topic in the Hot Topics area if you have access.