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LGBTQIA+ Strategy Group Response to Executive Order on Gender

Shared by Rev. Dr. Denyse Barnes, Director of Justice and Compassion EMT, on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ Strategy Group

This executive order directs federal agencies to recognize only two sexes – male and female.  In the UMC, as we celebrate the arrival of a more inclusive Book of Discipline following on from the General Conference of 2024, we stand in opposition to this executive order, and the significant risk and harm it causes to our trans and intersex siblings. We in Cal-Pac will continue to affirm and support all people, regardless of their gender identity or sexuality and encourage our local churches to do so as well.

Gender and identity are far more complex than the binary viewpoint in this executive order. Particularly harmful (and scientifically incorrect) are the definitions of sex at conception, which provide no provisions for those who are intersex.  These statements are not legally enforceable but will be a nightmare to navigate for trans and non-binary folx who have already learned that when they renew passports and IDs, the gender they identify with will not be used, but rather the sex they were assigned at birth.  This rolls back so much progress which has been made in the past few years and causes unthinkable harm to those who have already struggled so much.

Legal organizations are already challenging the order and helping those affected to protect their rights going forward. We do not know yet what other impacts the order will have on the LGBTQIA+ community, but it is expected that there will be challenges to same-gender weddings (this has already been filed in Idaho) and other ways in which we are recognized legally and socially. If and when these challenges reach the Supreme Court, we will encourage the General Board of Church and Society to join or file an amicus curiae brief.

Kevin Jennings, CEO of Lambda Legal, shared that “(T)he incoming administration seeks to limit protections against sex discrimination and abuse, denying science while also making life immeasurably harder for intersex, nonbinary, and of course transgender people.”

Other areas at risk for those who identify as part of the queer family are parentage rights, affirming health care, restroom bans, and mental health care.  Lawyers are recommending that members of the community ensure they have up-to-date wills, which include property division, guardianship, powers of attorney, health care proxies, and advanced directives.

As we continue to process and work to defend our rights, we can take comfort in our community and our God. The Transforming Hearts Collective shared this prayer that we call all our siblings to pray with us:

Spirit of life and love that resides within and among us, we enter this moment with all that we are, with an open heart, and with a love for justice.

We hold in love and prayer all transgender people, so many of whom live under the weight of violence, fear, and intolerance. We hold in love and prayer all the ways that transgender people have survived and thrived in a hostile world. We hold in love and prayer all who recognize the significance of gender justice for all people.

We who believe in freedom will not rest until it comes. We pray for the dawn of a new day when the very humanity of trans people is no longer called into question or ignored. We pray that physical, emotional, and spiritual violence will come to an end. We pray that a spirit of compassion and care will fill us to overflowing, that we may have the capacity to listen, learn, and grow not only in our awareness but also in our willingness to act. We pray for teachers, spiritual leaders, social workers, lawyers, and all people who heed the call to support trans liberation, trans leadership, and trans visibility. May they ultimately lean into the Light of truth and justice, offering hope to Trans and gender nonconforming youth and adults.

On this day, we commit and recommit to creating a world where people of all genders know peace, love, and justice. We commit and recommit to living lives of compassion and care for all of humanity. We commit and recommit to the healing work of relationship-building that will help every person know, no matter their gender or sexuality, that they are loved and valued
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Resources & Support

  • Lawyers recommend that members of the LGBTQIA+ community ensure they have up-to-date wills that include property division, guardianship, powers of attorney, health care proxies, and advanced directives.
  • For anyone experiencing discrimination based on their gender identity, advocacy groups Lambda Legal or the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) can provide support.
  • You are not alone! If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters you can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
  • The Trevor Project provides free and confidential crisis counselor support.

Additional Reading

WeHo, LGBTQ+ leaders stand against Trump

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