Church

[Carol Ann]

Well I went back again this Sunday to a little out of the way church where any and everyone is welcome.

And yes I went as Carol Ann and I was welcome again and NOBODY had any disrespect to me being a CD'er,
I was treated well and talk to like any other women by both the men and women there.

I almost cried at the joy of going to church as a women and being welcome and respected for who I am, have been invited out for supper at a couples home but I am just not ready to get that involved with others.

[Anne Bonny]

Wow! That must be a very special church. The one I had been attending would turn me out without a doubt. It is good to know there are churches that will take us in, and not pounce on us demanding we "repent" for being who we are. Sad really because the verses sited are misinterpreted and not widely understood by 90% because their bias blinds them. When Jesus sent his disciples to find the upper room he instructed them to look for a man carrying a water jar - it is shocking when this is understood for what it is and what it says about that man. Only women carried jars of water, it would have been humiliating for a man to do so, or beyond that to do any work that is done only by women. going out to the source of water with a jar and bringing it home was a task only women did. This guy would have stuck out like a man carrying a woman's purse openly and unashamedly on the street today. A man might carry a skin with water in it but never a jar. This would imply that this man was transgendered like us and that Jesus specifically chose him to guide his disciples to the upper room. But most churches read over all of this with out a thought or use a strict bias in interpreting law regarding men wearing dresses. All that scripture states means is that a man shall not put on woman's clothing in order to evade military service - as the character Klinger was trying to do in MASH.

[SilverLady(SO)]

The two churches well-known for their anti-discrimination policies towards anyone under the GLBTQ 'umbrella' are:

1. Metropolitan Community Church - http://mccchurch.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2. Unitarian Universalist Church - http://www.uua.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


While we have not attended services at either church, we have participated in various events at those chuches in our local area and found them to be very friendly.


Our conservative members need to be aware that both of these churches are exceedingly liberal as are their members; I would not recommend getting into a discussion on politics.


- SL

[Anita]

I would add Unity churches to the list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_Church" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anne Bonny]

Yeah. Unfortunately if someone is serious about all of this to a point...you tend to wind up in a fairly "conservative" church. That being said I am not one to check my brain at the door Big bang, Science, scientific method of observation, measurement theory and testing, archaeology, evolution placing earth at billions of years old...And knowing that not all of it is to be taken literally, there is poetry, allegory, I would even say mythology....I tend to butt heads but I am an objective realist who tends to move between faith and agnosticism. If you need the comfort of faith fine, but what is is. I will confront and deal with whatever happens in life. Even so I would definitely steer clear of 1 and 2 though they would welcome me too bad. Faith requires a leap into the darkness that may or may not pan out, checking your brain at the door and wishful thinking - who knows.

[Carol Ann]

Ladies, when can I say?. I am welcome for what I am a child of God and NOT by the cloths I wear

[Eileen (SO)]

Our neighborhood Church is of older congregates, some liberal and others very conservative. Only after becoming aware of the CD community, did I notice that some single men presented as, well, less than masculine. Nobody cared. Actually, some women or teens dress like Church is a place for hook ups.

All I can say to you, Carol Ann, and others, if you look and act like a woman, you will be accepted. You're the only one that knows what is underneath the clothing. Everyone else sees a woman. My husband says that he wants to pass as an ugly old lady. He does much better than that.

Go for the meeting at the couple's home. They might really want to get to know you better than just a stereotype person.

Eileen

[Carol Ann]

Eileen,
Very true, I found that out when I go out. Look like a women, act as a women, show no fear and you will get along just find.

[Anne Bonny]

Confidence. I am who I am because it just is and I suppose dressing is just a consitent acknowledgement. When I dress I am trying to reach out for what seems to "fit" and for what makes sense and is comfortable. Today its a pale yellow polo, olive shorts and flats with light make up and some jewelry this makes much more practical sense and is what I would probably choose most days were my genitalia genetically female, and my breasts were real rather than Gel inserts.
What is very real is this thing I will never quite understand about my gender that has me dressing this way many days.

[Requal Jo]

I attend church every Sunday in male mode. Would never have the courage to go as Requal. However I am under dressed when attending: full female apparel under my shirt and trousers, minus the bra.

I to am a child of God Carol, and do not attend in my dressed mode because of any other reason than praising God for who I am.

[Carol Ann]

Good for you dear

[Ralitsa]

Yeah it kind of annoys me when I see women or girls in church dressed like they are looking to hook up, and guys who wear jeans and some football jersey to church. But that's just my opinion and of course the argument can be made that it's good they are there at all. So oh well, I don't like what they are wearing and I'm not asking them to like what I wear.

But I went to a very conservative Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania several times when I was living there, and they were really nice about it. Of course one can never exactly say that older Germans are ever what can be called friendly towards new-comers (and my whole family is German, and I am the classic example of this). But I felt as accepted there as I have anywhere. The pastor called me a few times to get me to officially join, but I was in the process of moving away just then. Anyway, the point is that one might be surprised at the response they don't get from people they think are conservatives.

[Anne Bonny]

I have not been to my Presbyterian PCA church since December but Sunday mornings were just a real difficult set of hoops and time constraints to meet so I could be there in time to sit through the service (I am a sole caregiver). It became so hard I just gave it up after regularly attending every Sunday for several years, even so some of the men from the church maintain weekly contact with me. I have ... still am angry or put off with God. God can give and God can take away, but we are just statistics to God who has stood by these past 8 years as my wife was stricken with early onset dementia, has continued to decline, and will die and no prayer will accomplish any reprieve of this. Hard not to be angry about that.

[Eileen (SO)]

Carol, I don't care what faith you follow, or whether you are conservative or liberal, the congregation accepted you as a woman. Don't second guess the motives. Just feel the love!

Eileen

[Carol Ann]

TY Eileen