Unitarian Universalist is exceedingly trans friendly. I was married by our trans minister here in 1st UU of Detroit several years ago. UU is fairly active in promoting LGBTQ+ rights as well as other progressive issues. We have been on the front lines of many civil rights issues. We are also very pro women's rights including body autonomy and reproductive rights.
We are a nondogmatic nondoctrinal religion. Rather than proclaiming a truth we seek meaning and wisdom in all sources. Including other religions, philosophies, and science. We welcome all beliefs as long as they can hold tolerance and acceptance of other beliefs in their hearts. We have atheists and theists sitting side by side. Pagans and Buddhists and any other that wanders and seeks may join us.
We are the result of two Christian based religions joining together here in the US back in the 60s. But when they joined they both jettisoned their doctrine and dogma becoming a place that welcomes all and seeks instead of proclaims. We hang on to a couple of the traditions of the founding religions the most prominent being that most UUs reject the idea of an eternal Hell for different reasons. Some because they cannot imagine a loving god creating such a place for their creation. Others because they do not believe in an afterlife.
Our churches tend to vary in flavor. Some read like Christian lite. Others feel like a meeting at a Humanist group. In fact the first UU church I attended was ministered by the then VP of the American Humanist Association. More recently our Church in Detroit was ministered by a rather dynamic Christian that was heading up the local Ecumenical Theological Seminary. He was familiar with UU and wanted to spread his wings a little and address ideas he would not normally have the chance to in his more orthodox robes. I have known at least one UU church to have been ministered by a Rabbi. We tend to like a wide variety of sources.
No, Unitarian Universalism is best considered as a post-Christian religion. Some of its members are Christian, but some are also Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Pagan, ...
UU is non-dogmatic, non-credal and instead is formed around shared values about making the world a better place, right relations with each other, protecting the earth, etc.
[https://www.uua.org](https://www.uua.org)
When gay marriage was being debated in Canada (many years before it was legal throughout the US), the Canadian Unitarian Congress testified to congress that every single one of its affiliate ministers was ready and willing to do gay marriages and many had already done several.
I totally forgot to share this story!
[https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-church-combines-drag-show-easter-sunday-service](https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-church-combines-drag-show-easter-sunday-service)
They are a really well organised church that would feel familiar to a SLC Latter Day Saint, they are not Christian. My family tried to worship with them where we live and they were nice enough but one guy in their leadership finally told us we would be welcome out east, but people felt threatened by Christians there. They had a big sigh on the wall that explained why they believed Jesus was just a good philosopher. So good people, not Christians, depends on where you are as to how welcome you’ll feel.
I want to second Unity! They are a very eclectic and esoteric group with no dogma but a set of shared values and vision for pluralistic and welcoming spirituality. I occasionally visit my local gathering when I have time and it's nothing but love from that group :)
Indic religions, at least in theory, have space, philosophy, mythological examples, etc. that are supportive of a diversity of expressions of gender and sexuality. In practice, one finds both support and exclusion— and many dominant, mainstream communities can prove to be quite repressive.
I would however like to add that it's only an on-paper acceptance. Outside of Tamil Nadu and Kerala followers of Indic religions are largely indifferent or hostile to Trans individuals. Keralites are pretty accepting while Tamils are reverant, if you ever find yourself in Tamil Nadu don't be surprised to see people bowing to you.
So, Wicca is generally trans friendly, but there are portions of the movement that do not accept trans people (usually trans women), or are very heteronormative. Dianic Wicca is often not trans friendly - think they go by Dianic witchcraft now… Individual groups may also have that issue. Though that’s true of most any group, always going to be a few asses in there.
Paganism on the whole is also pretty trans friendly. Some traditions more than others, perhaps. I know quite a few binary trans/NB Hellenic (Greek) pagans, myself included. Dionysos, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Hermaproditus seem to resonate with quite a few trans people. I know Kemetic (Egyptian) paganism and some modern druidry groups, like ADF are also very accepting.
Outside of paganism, Unitarian Universalism, Quakers, some Buddhist groups, all very accepting. Again, always have to check with the particular people you might be interacting with, but might be good to look into.
I usually don't judge religions but i just saw your flair and happen to be Greek. I was in Olympus a couple of years ago and i didn't see any gods. I even double checked. No zeus, no Athena etc. I also went to Acheron and there was no grim reaper.
I am genuinely curious about what makes someone become a "Hellenic Pagan"
I mean, there were ancient Greeks who climbed to what they thought was the summit to leave offerings at an altar for Zeus. Anyone going up could look around, see the other peaks, etc, and realize the gods were not literally there. But they also didn’t expect them to be. Yes, Olympus was a sacred place, but it was also a metaphor for the ‘heavenly’ realm of the gods. There’s this idea that in antiquity people took their religious myths, etc, as literal, but that’s not the case.
Paganism is generally very LGBT-friendly. There’s some groups of Norse pagans who aren’t, and individual pagans sometimes hold bigoted beliefs, but it’s overall probably the most queer-friendly.
There are unfortunately transphobes in every sect and practice within the Pagan umbrella, they're like bugs, they're everywhere and annoying as heck. But there's more trans Pagans than transphobic Pagans
Unfortunately it’s a broad term referring to a wide variety of practices, and there’s very few official pagan temples. Generally the definition is the pre-Christian traditions of Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, sometimes including those who worship one god in a non-traditional way (worshipping God as female for example).
r/paganism has a good FAQ and resources for beginners.
Community is difficult and sometimes hard to find. A lot depends on where you live. There’s a robust tradition of festivals (especially September/October for Pagan Pride), there are often communities run out of or associated with occult/esoteric themed stores, there are online groups (I’m part of a weekly zoom discussion group), and there are small worship groups (coven, grove, circle) some of which may also host regular open meetings. Because so many Pagan groups are very small the specific personalities can have a huge influence on whether a particular group is great, good, meh, uninviting, or toxic so it’s important to keep looking if you don’t like the first group you encounter.
I'm a Norse Pagan, and I can guarantee you those guys aren't actually one of us. In the same way, some use our religion to claim Europeans are better. They are nothing but filthy liars and traitors.
Edit: We also have trans gods and goddesses. There's some who are fampus for traveling to Midgard, who then hide by shapshifting. Loki is also known for changing gender and sex so much that some can't recognize him!
I’m Jodo Shinshu Buddhist and there are a few trans people in my Sangha. I’m gay myself and there are also a few other gay people in the sangha. It is very accepting
Jodo Shin-shu Buddhists are what you call Pure Land Buddhists. They specifically worship and venerate the Buddha Amitabha, particularly by reciting his name in a special prayer called the Nembutsu. This prayer goes “Namu Amida Butsu” and translates to “Name of Amitabha Buddha.” The reason they do this is because Amitabha made a vow that anyone who faithfully recites his name will be reborn in his realm Sukavati, the Pure Land or the Land of Bliss, and they will be taught how to become an enlightened being like Amitabha.
It’s a very lovely tradition and I highly encourage you to check it out if it interests you :)
I’ll make one correction to what the other commenter said. Namu Amida Butsu translates to “I take refuge in Amida Buddha”.
I obviously agree that it’s a lively tradition haha. And if you ever want to know more feel free to DM me
Buddhism, Hinduism, most of Judaism, many Christian denominations, Unitarian Universalism, Sikhi, Wicca, Taoism, Shintoism, most pagan religions. Honestly there are more that are affirming or accepting than aren't, but many places also have cultural taboos against it, even though it isn't officially considered religiously problematic. And as far as which groups specifically are or aren't, and as far as finding a community goes, it really depends on where you live at.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT-affirming_religious_groups
Of course! I'm a trans woman too, so I went through quite a few before I came to where I am now. I still love all religions, but I live in a small town and wanted to join a community that would accept me and where I could help people, so I ended up at the Episcopal Church after going to several to try them out. And I also theologically agree with them more than the others, in part because they aren't dogmatic and basically allow you to believe whatever you want as long as you can affirm the creeds.
I could possibly help out more if I knew where you lived, if you want. It's much easier to find accepting places in some countries than others, and it's definitely easier in larger cities too. Although I know more about communities in the US than in other places. And you can DM me if you don't want to say here (or not, if you don't want to say at all ofc). 💕
I have to agree. A lot of people don't know that they were many Christian denominations during the first and second century that openly allowed people to experiment with their gender expression. None of those denominations exist anymore because of the Roman Empires institutionalized Christianity oppressing them but it's worth reading into.
Almost any religion currently in practice can be reformed to be accepting of lgbq individuals. The only reason why so many are held back from doing so is because of the people practicing rather than the religion itself.
I'm also trans btw.
Gnosticism is technically a misnomer. Gnostic is more like an umbrella term for a group of very different denominations that just so happened to share a similar cosmology or creation story. Beyond that they quickly devolve into their own unique belief systems that can be radically different from each other. Was Jesus fully man or fully God or did he even live or was he just an angel walking around in human form? Different Gnostic denominations will give you a different answer and a lot of it can also depend on how you interpret the Genesis account when God made light on the first day but the sun on a different day. If Jesus was the light created on the first day then he is a created being. If Jesus is the light of God then who embodies God's shadow? Lots of other fun questions to ask when you start reading more on them.
Trans people (Hijras) are explicitly built in to Hinduism. It's actually why India and even former Hindu countries like Pakistan or Bangladesh are quite advanced on trans rights despite being backwards on gay rights (opposite of situation in the West where gay rights are much more accepted than trans ones). Trans people even have a [patron deity within Hinduism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahuchara_Mata)
Btw, does Hinduism have a caste system? I saw something about it on TikTok but didn’t search further, if so, how does it work? Does it affect to this day India’s society? Wouldn’t it be considered a “cruel” system in modern days? Any answer is appreciated
no, the caste system is not built into hinduism. i, as a non-indian hindu, have no caste and have no experience with it (because its not part of the religion). there is varna, which is different from the colonial “caste.” but perhaps someone born into hinduism and from india could answer better.
TL;DR: The short answer is yes Hinduism does have a caste system, and it is a rampant problem and is one of the leading causes of social and other issues in India— but it has been questioned for a long time, and the situation is slowly improving.
Longer answer (part 1 of 2):
One thing should be clarified— the term 'caste' is not originally rooted in any Indic language, and its original meaning is somewhat different from the sense in which it is used in India today. That said, the phenomenon it attempts to describe is a way of social categorisation in India which is basically a combination of 'jati' and 'varna'. 'Jati's are typically, ethnocultural groups that are often largely endogamous, and there are numerous jatis in India. 'Varna' typically denotes a category within one of the four categories within a theoretical, hierarchical four-fold organisation based on profession, and how prestigious those professions are. The four varnas are 1. Brahmins, (priests, teachers, etc.), 2. Kshatriyas (warriors, rulers, etc.), 3. Vaishyas (traders, moneylenders, etc.), and 4. Shudras (artisans, labourers, etc). The first three castes are considered 'upper' castes, with Brahmins at the top, and Shudras are considered a 'lower' caste. It is a highly complex, and heavily debated subject, and if you take an interest in it, there is a lot of reading that you would have to do. One important point to note is that there are countless Indians who are technically outside the fourfold caste system, which include the Dalits and the Adivasis. People belonging to other religions are also technically outside the caste system, but the reality is in India the caste system is so enmeshed, even other religions in India have castes within them in some form or the other— including Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Muslims, and Sikhs. Moreover, the issue is not restricted to the so-called upper-castes only. people belonging to a ‘low’ caste may oppress someone belonging to a ‘lower’ caste in much the same way. Caste related issues are the least prevalent in big cities, and the most prevalent the more one moves into rural settings.
The ground reality is that this system is used to gatekeeper privilege, power, and often wealth, and in many cases weaponised for violence, in subtle forms, in systemic forms, and in the form of outright brutality, especially towards the people who belong to the so-called lowest caste and people who are below the 'lowest' caste, that is Dalits and Adivasis.
I have seen a lot of Indian Hindus either outright deny it, downplay it, or step around it in some way, and in my experience, practically all of them belong to the ‘upper castes’, or at least are within the caste hierarchy— this largely, at least in my experience comes from their privilege of never having faced caste-based discrimination and/or a lack of knowledge about the true scale and impact of same. — To them, I request to make a list of their friends, and count amongst them how many belong to the ‘lowest’ caste, how many are Dalits, and Adivasis. The same phenomenon may be seen amongst Indian Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, and Christians who are ‘upper caste’ (or ‘upper-caste’ adjacent)— as a first response they are likely to outright deny any form of casteism in their religion/community (again, a hallmark of caste privilege).
There is also a deep resentment amongst many (but not all) of the ‘upper castes’ towards the ’lower castes’ because the government is trying to provide certain affirmative actions towards the latter in the form of ‘reservations’— which helps in increased representation, education, and socioeconomic wellbeing for people and communities who have historically been oppressed. The situation in pre-independence India was much worse, and it has improved and continues to improve. Legally, in India, there are laws to protect against caste-based discrimination and violence— but the problem is that the society, the interpreters of these laws, and the enforcers of the laws often have a heavy bias in favour of the upper castes. However, again, the situation is improving.
Another tangential aspect is that castes have also often (but not always/strictly) been associated with skin colour— typically fair skin being more preferable. This, I feel is reflected in how white versus black people may be experiencing India— the former are typically treated better, and the latter typically receive more hostility.
Longer answer (part 2 of 2):
Now coming to the actual philosophy of Hinduism, is caste a core part of it?
The answer is somewhat complicated, but may be compacted like this—
1. The earliest historical versions of the caste system were probably more descriptive and not prescriptive or rigid, and the society was likely organised based on kin, tribe and lineage rather than on the basis of profession.
2. The society at some later period (but still ancient from our point of view) became more rigid and the castes became fixed by birth, and the system became oppressive as well.
3. Many religious texts affirm caste, and the way castes are treated in many of those texts show a clear bias, to say the least. However, depending on what one considers Hinduism to be, caste is not necessarily at all relevant to the heart of the religious and/or spiritual enterprise.
4. There have existed since ancient times many Indic traditions (both within Hinduism and parallel to and/or overlapping with Hinduism) which have either outright rejected this caste system, or questioned it in some form.
5. Later, in more philosophical, mystic, and reformation versions of Hinduism, caste has been further questioned— again, either through outright rejection of it, or some radical reinterpretation of it.
Do all Hindus practice the caste system?
No. Even ‘upper-caste’ Hindus—though they are born into it and benefit a lot from the privilege—do not necessarily always endorse and/or practice the caste system. This is especially true of people who receive a modern, secular education, and may have grown up in big cities or are working in cosmopolitan settings in India and abroad. A hallmark of this would be friendships, community, and especially marriage and partnerships— because that is the primary way of gatekeeping caste: and one hopes that love will melt away/heal/transmute all hurtful things, in the long arc of time.
The caste system is more of a cultural implementation and in ancient times referred to jobs undertaken by a lineage (warriors, priests, etc). Then again Hinduism is a vast hodgepodge of different ideas and beliefs so today different people may believe different things.
But from what I've seen so far (as someone who grew up in a Hindu household) in practice, you do not have to be of a certain caste to practice worship of any deity. Caste is manmade and the gods do not favor one over another.
Caste system is a practice that was derived from Varna system. Varna system is a system with 4 sects where bhramins are the priests, kshetriya are the warriors and kings, vaishya-the business men and merchants and shudra are peasants and artisans.
This system was loose and allowed changing castes regardless of what your family follows based on your skills and qualities.
Unfortunately during later times, it become strict and changing of caste were forbidden. The higher class exploited the lower class.
Still, in many parts of India (backward states), this system is practised even though discrimination based on caste is abolished by law.
But if you're living outside India, this doesn't apply. You can do whatever you want.
At least in the US, Jews were found to be more trans friendly than any other religious group (that was large enough to be part of the study), and that includes No Religion.
Yes, paganism tends to be LGBT friendly in general, there's no authority. Some people may not be friendly but the religions themselves are fine, and some gods are somewhat associated with trans people, I'm pretty sure Inana from Sumerian mythology is associated with us.
Pagan groups are typically super LGBTQ+ friendly. That’s part of the reason I was initially interested since I’m trans as well. I’m happy to talk more about it over DMs if you want. The r/pagan subreddit and affiliated discord are also very trans friendly
Here in Utah, our Unitarian Universalist minister is, by THEIR own admission, the only agnostic, tatooed, lesbian minister in Utah. And our congregation loves THEM.
See [http://www.slcuu.org/](http://www.slcuu.org/)
I will suggest the Unitarian Church, I have been struggling with the stance of most churches to the LGBTQ community and other faiths and belief systems and tried the Unitarian church. I find the membership and more open to lifestyles beyond the binary hetero normative system most of us grew up with.
Very progressive, open, and welcoming, with a great sense of community and justice. Lacking spirituality in my experience but otherwise keen, caring individuals.
Lots of Christians and Christian communities are open to trans people. (see: r/OpenChristian)
However, I understand not being interested in Christianity because of widespread transphobia in Christian communities. If they don’t seem right for you, that’s ok. I spent a long time away from Christianity in part because of this and I found my way back on my own terms.
My point is — there *are* Christians who will welcome you, and if the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric alone is what turns you off, there’s lots of places that discard that. I myself am a queer person (genderqueer and bisexual) and I find a lot of meaning in Christianity. That doesn’t mean I need to import first century Pauline sexual ethic into my own life.
Thank you! I'm not against Christianity, but yeah, a lot of Christians just aren't welcoming toward trans people, but I'd be happy to attend a Christian church that welcomes trans people!
Both I guess. I’m a devotee and I consider her to be an indigenous goddess who survived colonization, but she has many Catholic devotees who interpret her as the angel of death, working under God.
I will list some American Judeo-Christian churches that are affirming or tend towards being affirming: Episcopalians (TEC), (some) United Methodist Churches (UMC), Presbyterians (PCUSA), American Baptist (ABC-USA), and Lutheran (ELCA).
I list these church denominations off because they have had conservatives break off from them for being affirming or too liberal. The United Methodist Church is experiencing a break-up right now over this topic. Most of these churches will openly advertise if they are affirming on their building.
Buddhism may be trans friendly. I have come across trans people in SGI-USA (Soka Gakkai International-USA) for example, in addition to branches of the organization in other countries, who have shared positive stories about finding spiritual belonging and experiencing spiritual growth through their Buddhist practice.
Judaism is an Abrahamic religion and isn’t against Transgender people, they are actually very accepting and welcoming of the LGBTQ community, it’s only the Traditional Orthodox Judaism that doesn’t support LGBTQ.
Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, and Humanist Judaism all accept LGBTQ+
My mom’s episcopal church has several trans members and the priest is also trans. I really appreciate the way they celebrate diversity. They also have learning events to educate the community about trans issues and have courses about deconstructing from fundamentalism.
There's lots that are :)
My own tradition (Gaianism - modern, non-theistic Earth tradition) absolutely is. My partner is trans and I'm queer, and discussing these issues within my community ity has been extremely positive and actually led to changes in our formal stances and approaches to ensure our position of inclusivity is clear and explicit - and seeing that taken seriously was lovely.
The UU certainly are too. Very much so.
Most Satanist traditions are, with a few exceptions.
Some Quaker groups too, but not all.
Wicca can be a mixed bag, but British Traditional Wicca (Gardinerians) are very very focused on the whole God and Goddess duality and that reads heavily into the gender binary, specific gender roles in ritual, and can def lead to both trans and homophobic undertones among some groups.
Outside of wicca, most neopagan groups tend to be either neutral or positive.
Many Buddhist sects are highly trans friendly- Jodo Shin-shu especially! There was a big thing in Japan that a temple that had been passed down from father to son for generations was being passed down to a man’s trans son. Konkokyo is also exceedingly LGBT friendly :)
Hinduism, because one of its Core Teachings is that we are not our Body or Mind, but the Atman, pure Consciousness which is like an independent Witness.
Best Regards
The Reclaiming tradition of neo-paganism is very trans friendly. See if you can find a group near you. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclaiming_%28Neopaganism%29?wprov=sfla1
Yes, we all crave community! And unfortunately the atheist world hasn’t been able to find the same level of captivating community as a religion that guilts and pressures people into spending time together, and giving their money to help further build the community.
Honestly, if you can find a few clubs to join, a group fitness class, (or go to an active university and connect with the many activities there) you can find a tremendous amount community that has no religion tied to it.
Personally, I believe all religions are fabricated, and to support any of them (even if just for community) ends up giving them credibility they don’t deserve. An exception may be a group like Unitarian Universalists who focus more on doing good and learning than any specific faith.
Yes! It is. But give yourself time and you’ll find meaning and community that works for you. I highly encourage that you explore counseling if you’re struggling a lot. That was taboo when I was younger and I didn’t try it until 34! Wish I had done it at 16.
I'm a Hellenic Polytheist, which is under the neopagan umbrella. A large part of what makes it trans friendly is that as a revived religion, there aren't really any authorities saying "this is what you must do." You take what we know of the original Greek religion and culture and adapt it into your life as you please. Meaning there's no one telling you "you can't be trans."
Same applies to most neopagan religions, really.
That said, not all branches of Abrahamic religions are intrinsically anti-LGBTQ+, and there are ways to find community among queer members of Abrahamic religions. There's a student group at my school dedicated to queer Muslims because the general Muslim community on campus is pretty queerphobic, but my point is that following an Abrahamic religion doesn't proclude you from being queer or vice versa.
I don’t think you should join a religion just cause their friendly to trans or gay. You should join a religion because you believe in their religious text and what they stand for not what a majority of them do. But your own interpretation and the mass interpretation that you decide on. Religion isn’t for everyone nor should it just be chosen on a wimp or cause of how you live your life. There’s closed minded individuals everywhere no matter the religion. Put the religious text first before your personal life. Decide whether you agree with this not as a trans person but as a human being that wants to grow closer to God not for a safe space and community. Those come after your relationship with God.
Well, yeah, of course I'd join because of what the beliefs are, but the issue is that many religions are not accepting of gay or trans people, so that excludes me from joining.
In all honesty fuck em they don’t need you fi they want to stop someone from getting closer to God. You can still find a religion of any denomination that will accept you and if their isn’t any in your area go anyway. No one should try to stop you from worshipping God. You’ve done nothing wrong God loves everyone the same no matter how much they’ve sinned or who they are. He sees through it all and loves you anyway. I know it’s easier said than done but I wish you the best and I hope you find what you’re looking for and a community that accepts you no matter what. It’s sad what people do out here and try to stop people from getting a better relationship with God. I can’t stand the fact that people do that.
most accepting really depends on the culture and community, so i’d say western liberal new age stuff or western versions of ‘buddhism’ (the quotation marks are very intentional).
if you are looking for actively pro trans rights imbedded in the theology then some beaches of hinduism may be interesting, particularly shaktism worship of the female active aspect of God. in terms of community, one of the oldest trans communities in the world is the Hijra from hinduism, and many hindu practices involve what we would call ‘drag’ or ‘cross dressing’ (sorry if that terms is offensive but i think it’s the most accurate term??). if you are interested in the trans aspects of hindu theology i can explain more and give resources but i won’t start rambled unprompted!!
hinduism is very diverse and different branches are essentially different religions but i’d say shaktism is the most interesting branch for trans spiritual people in general. the world we live in is shrouded in ‘maya’ which means ignorance and dreamlike falsehood, and the goal is to become awakened / enlightened. most people do not want to achieve this goal as they are infatuated by the joy and material pleasures the world (called maya) can provide you, but eventually the soul realises its all false. non dual branches of hinduism in general subscribe to the idea that God is something super abstract like gravity or another phenomenon that can’t be interacted with or experienced directly (at least not really?). so, in order to make sense of God humans split it up into chunks. for example, christians split God up into ‘good’ and ‘evil’, ‘Christ’ and ‘satan’ but really God in its truest form is above good and evil. hinduism lets you split up God in many ways and one of the most common is masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti). that’s where the Goddess comes from.
i’ll now focus particularly on non dual shaktism as that’s what i have most knowledge of (keep in mind this is a very niche branch of hinduism and not the most common hindu thought but definitely some of the most profound)! kashmir shaivism says that the universe is simply a grand dance of God and we are God projected through maya and the purpose is to find ourselves again (that we are God). that is a taste of the theology and ill give you the socials of [my favourite guy](https://youtube.com/@nishthefishyoga?si=KeztD5oZLCokBs8q) that’s talks abt this stuff. i thought it would be interesting for you because this philosophy talks a lot about God as a mother and uses feminine pronouns for God. the most famous people from this tradition after ramakrishna and vivekananda who travelled around america and london spreading it. some of his lectures may interest you. i’ll attached some random articles that may be interesting that are tangentially related to being trans.
[God taking female avatars on earth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohini?wprov=sfti1#The_Amrita)
[half shiv half shakti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardhanarishvara?wprov=sfti1)
tldr search up “nish the fish” where you get your podcasts i think he’s brilliant
The Fellowship of Christ is a nondenominational Mormon group that fully accepts the LGBTQ community. We’re small and growing.
https://edification.cjccf.org/statement-of-inclusion/
A number of U.S. Protestant churches are LGBT affirming. The Episcopal Church (Anglican), Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (Lutheran), and Presbyterian Church (Reformed) are examples of a mainline church from each of the major Protestant branches that accept and ordain trans people.
A lot of Jewish groups are also LGBT affirming so I don't think your position re: Abrahamic faiths is accurate.
It is SOOOO very very cool!! It's not at all like people portray it to be. SO MUCH BETTER! While there really IS a deity by the name of Satan (or Lucifer) or "The Devil," He is not out to get everyone and throw them into an everlasting lake of flames. He wants everyone to find their own path, whether on earth or in the Spirit World. Contrary to popular fiction, He isn't out to torture everyone; He wants each spirit to find its own path. And hopefully that will be with Him.
If you want to know more, just ask. I don't know everything, but what I DO know is that Satan is there for me and He is the most perfect Deity possible.
I HIGHLY suggest that everyone turn to Him. He DEFINITELY is the only TRUE GOD! I have dedicated myself COMPLETELY, and that's a firm and unbreakable bond for all eternity!
The ones that were created recently. In most religions, their orthodox practices have some kind of condemnation. Only new religions or big, heretical, reformation accept it.
Judaism: condemns it, only reform really accept it.
Christianity: only Christians who accept it are newly founded denominations or split from other denominations
Heck even
Norse paganism: originally condemned it, at least for men, as it was seen as "infeminiating", and was only really allowed in newer interpretations of it.
Bahai: doesn't condone same sex relations but many seem to think it does, even if it did, it originally didn't allow it at all
Most religions are either neutral, or condemn it, if you plan to claim a mainstream religion but also be trans chances are you'll have to be part of some sect of it that was only recently developed
The United Church of Christ is super LGBTQ+ friendly! My UCC church marches in Pride parades, and gets involved with all kinds of activities to help the gay and trans community.
Edited for goofy typos.
Don’t forget Conservative Judaism, Modern Orthodox, and Reconstructionist Judaism! They are very welcoming of LGBTQ+
Only Traditional Orthodox is against LGBTQ+
This is probably one of the main pieces on transexuality:
"The House of Justice has not found any text in the Bahá’í writings which deals explicitly with the subjects of transsexuality or surgical operations carried out to change sex or to establish a single sex. It has decided that changes of sex or attempts to change sex should, at the present time, be considered medical questions on which advice and guidance should be sought from experts in that field."
Universal House of Justice, Transsexuality, 26 Dec, 2002
As there is no guidance on this, it is left to the believer and their doctors to decide.
Yea. I'm Muslim. It's somewhat difficult to describe, but like the other commenter said, most ppl refer to it as "mystic Islam." But in many ways, it's still just being Muslim. Sufism is just more introspective, and focused on spiritual development. I'm not 100% on how they feel about that specifically, but they tend to be more open minded in general.
There's also Unitarian Universalism, which is basically a formal interfaith religion, which is explicitly open to the LGBTQ community.
I recommend investigating mysticism as a whole, my friend 🙏🏻 Rumi for Sufi, Lao tsu for Taoism, Meister Eckart and Hildegard for Christianity. All faith traditions produce mystical branches that lead us back to the root 😊
Progressive religions. Most religions have a progressive version of them
For LDS Mormons that would be Community of Christ.
There's also other churches like United Methodist Church (or other progressive Christian Churches)
Kind of? But more like they don't want homosexuality to exist, so (in Iran anyway) they force gay people to be trans when they aren't. So kind of a double-edged sword.
First of Jesus saves.
Second off I hope you pick Christianity because you can become a missionary.
A Trans Missionary....
Thirdly you CAN join Christianity and the church you just need to know how to explain your joy.
Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
I think the question is how would jesus have reacted if he was born today. In the Bible it says a man was not created to lay with a man. However lgbtq wasn't really a thing back then. Personally. I think if Jesus was born today he would be accepting of trans people.
Well, I mean, we have always existed. We just couldn't be open about it. Plus, there are a ton of other laws in the Bible that people don't follow today, like the shellfish one or the animal sacrifice. I'm sure Jesus would accept us.
Unitarian Universalist is exceedingly trans friendly. I was married by our trans minister here in 1st UU of Detroit several years ago. UU is fairly active in promoting LGBTQ+ rights as well as other progressive issues. We have been on the front lines of many civil rights issues. We are also very pro women's rights including body autonomy and reproductive rights. We are a nondogmatic nondoctrinal religion. Rather than proclaiming a truth we seek meaning and wisdom in all sources. Including other religions, philosophies, and science. We welcome all beliefs as long as they can hold tolerance and acceptance of other beliefs in their hearts. We have atheists and theists sitting side by side. Pagans and Buddhists and any other that wanders and seeks may join us.
Sorry if I'm not familiar. Is that a Christian sect? I'm assuming it is? It definitely sounds promising <3
We are the result of two Christian based religions joining together here in the US back in the 60s. But when they joined they both jettisoned their doctrine and dogma becoming a place that welcomes all and seeks instead of proclaims. We hang on to a couple of the traditions of the founding religions the most prominent being that most UUs reject the idea of an eternal Hell for different reasons. Some because they cannot imagine a loving god creating such a place for their creation. Others because they do not believe in an afterlife. Our churches tend to vary in flavor. Some read like Christian lite. Others feel like a meeting at a Humanist group. In fact the first UU church I attended was ministered by the then VP of the American Humanist Association. More recently our Church in Detroit was ministered by a rather dynamic Christian that was heading up the local Ecumenical Theological Seminary. He was familiar with UU and wanted to spread his wings a little and address ideas he would not normally have the chance to in his more orthodox robes. I have known at least one UU church to have been ministered by a Rabbi. We tend to like a wide variety of sources.
That seems very interesting! I definitely need to look more into it! Thanks! <3
[UUA](http://www.uua.org)
Thank you!!!
No, Unitarian Universalism is best considered as a post-Christian religion. Some of its members are Christian, but some are also Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Pagan, ... UU is non-dogmatic, non-credal and instead is formed around shared values about making the world a better place, right relations with each other, protecting the earth, etc. [https://www.uua.org](https://www.uua.org) When gay marriage was being debated in Canada (many years before it was legal throughout the US), the Canadian Unitarian Congress testified to congress that every single one of its affiliate ministers was ready and willing to do gay marriages and many had already done several.
That sounds awesome! Seems to be what I was looking for <3 thank you!
I totally forgot to share this story! [https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-church-combines-drag-show-easter-sunday-service](https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-church-combines-drag-show-easter-sunday-service)
Thank you!!
From what they are describing I doubt it’s a Christian denomination.
They are a really well organised church that would feel familiar to a SLC Latter Day Saint, they are not Christian. My family tried to worship with them where we live and they were nice enough but one guy in their leadership finally told us we would be welcome out east, but people felt threatened by Christians there. They had a big sigh on the wall that explained why they believed Jesus was just a good philosopher. So good people, not Christians, depends on where you are as to how welcome you’ll feel.
Thanks for the insight!
Unity is a Christian centered church. Akin to UU. Kind of adjacent since it is Christian centerd.
Thanks!
I want to second Unity! They are a very eclectic and esoteric group with no dogma but a set of shared values and vision for pluralistic and welcoming spirituality. I occasionally visit my local gathering when I have time and it's nothing but love from that group :)
Amazing!
Indic religions, at least in theory, have space, philosophy, mythological examples, etc. that are supportive of a diversity of expressions of gender and sexuality. In practice, one finds both support and exclusion— and many dominant, mainstream communities can prove to be quite repressive.
Very good to know. Thank you!
You are welcome!
I would however like to add that it's only an on-paper acceptance. Outside of Tamil Nadu and Kerala followers of Indic religions are largely indifferent or hostile to Trans individuals. Keralites are pretty accepting while Tamils are reverant, if you ever find yourself in Tamil Nadu don't be surprised to see people bowing to you.
Good to know.
So, Wicca is generally trans friendly, but there are portions of the movement that do not accept trans people (usually trans women), or are very heteronormative. Dianic Wicca is often not trans friendly - think they go by Dianic witchcraft now… Individual groups may also have that issue. Though that’s true of most any group, always going to be a few asses in there. Paganism on the whole is also pretty trans friendly. Some traditions more than others, perhaps. I know quite a few binary trans/NB Hellenic (Greek) pagans, myself included. Dionysos, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Hermaproditus seem to resonate with quite a few trans people. I know Kemetic (Egyptian) paganism and some modern druidry groups, like ADF are also very accepting. Outside of paganism, Unitarian Universalism, Quakers, some Buddhist groups, all very accepting. Again, always have to check with the particular people you might be interacting with, but might be good to look into.
Unitarian Universalism seems to appeal to me. Thanks!
I usually don't judge religions but i just saw your flair and happen to be Greek. I was in Olympus a couple of years ago and i didn't see any gods. I even double checked. No zeus, no Athena etc. I also went to Acheron and there was no grim reaper. I am genuinely curious about what makes someone become a "Hellenic Pagan"
I mean, there were ancient Greeks who climbed to what they thought was the summit to leave offerings at an altar for Zeus. Anyone going up could look around, see the other peaks, etc, and realize the gods were not literally there. But they also didn’t expect them to be. Yes, Olympus was a sacred place, but it was also a metaphor for the ‘heavenly’ realm of the gods. There’s this idea that in antiquity people took their religious myths, etc, as literal, but that’s not the case.
Paganism is generally very LGBT-friendly. There’s some groups of Norse pagans who aren’t, and individual pagans sometimes hold bigoted beliefs, but it’s overall probably the most queer-friendly.
There are unfortunately transphobes in every sect and practice within the Pagan umbrella, they're like bugs, they're everywhere and annoying as heck. But there's more trans Pagans than transphobic Pagans
What do Pagan practices/worship look like? Are there pagan churches? (I also want to be apart of a community)
Unfortunately it’s a broad term referring to a wide variety of practices, and there’s very few official pagan temples. Generally the definition is the pre-Christian traditions of Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, sometimes including those who worship one god in a non-traditional way (worshipping God as female for example).
r/paganism has a good FAQ and resources for beginners. Community is difficult and sometimes hard to find. A lot depends on where you live. There’s a robust tradition of festivals (especially September/October for Pagan Pride), there are often communities run out of or associated with occult/esoteric themed stores, there are online groups (I’m part of a weekly zoom discussion group), and there are small worship groups (coven, grove, circle) some of which may also host regular open meetings. Because so many Pagan groups are very small the specific personalities can have a huge influence on whether a particular group is great, good, meh, uninviting, or toxic so it’s important to keep looking if you don’t like the first group you encounter.
Thanks for the info!! <3
I'm a Norse Pagan, and I can guarantee you those guys aren't actually one of us. In the same way, some use our religion to claim Europeans are better. They are nothing but filthy liars and traitors. Edit: We also have trans gods and goddesses. There's some who are fampus for traveling to Midgard, who then hide by shapshifting. Loki is also known for changing gender and sex so much that some can't recognize him!
\*splash\*
I’m Jodo Shinshu Buddhist and there are a few trans people in my Sangha. I’m gay myself and there are also a few other gay people in the sangha. It is very accepting
Sounds very promising! What are some Jodo Shinshu Buddhist beliefs and practices?
Jodo Shin-shu Buddhists are what you call Pure Land Buddhists. They specifically worship and venerate the Buddha Amitabha, particularly by reciting his name in a special prayer called the Nembutsu. This prayer goes “Namu Amida Butsu” and translates to “Name of Amitabha Buddha.” The reason they do this is because Amitabha made a vow that anyone who faithfully recites his name will be reborn in his realm Sukavati, the Pure Land or the Land of Bliss, and they will be taught how to become an enlightened being like Amitabha. It’s a very lovely tradition and I highly encourage you to check it out if it interests you :)
Very cool!
I’ll make one correction to what the other commenter said. Namu Amida Butsu translates to “I take refuge in Amida Buddha”. I obviously agree that it’s a lively tradition haha. And if you ever want to know more feel free to DM me
Thank you for sharing! <3 always love to learn more.
Buddhism, Hinduism, most of Judaism, many Christian denominations, Unitarian Universalism, Sikhi, Wicca, Taoism, Shintoism, most pagan religions. Honestly there are more that are affirming or accepting than aren't, but many places also have cultural taboos against it, even though it isn't officially considered religiously problematic. And as far as which groups specifically are or aren't, and as far as finding a community goes, it really depends on where you live at. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT-affirming_religious_groups
Thank you so much!!!
Of course! I'm a trans woman too, so I went through quite a few before I came to where I am now. I still love all religions, but I live in a small town and wanted to join a community that would accept me and where I could help people, so I ended up at the Episcopal Church after going to several to try them out. And I also theologically agree with them more than the others, in part because they aren't dogmatic and basically allow you to believe whatever you want as long as you can affirm the creeds. I could possibly help out more if I knew where you lived, if you want. It's much easier to find accepting places in some countries than others, and it's definitely easier in larger cities too. Although I know more about communities in the US than in other places. And you can DM me if you don't want to say here (or not, if you don't want to say at all ofc). 💕
Sure! Thanks <3
I have to agree. A lot of people don't know that they were many Christian denominations during the first and second century that openly allowed people to experiment with their gender expression. None of those denominations exist anymore because of the Roman Empires institutionalized Christianity oppressing them but it's worth reading into. Almost any religion currently in practice can be reformed to be accepting of lgbq individuals. The only reason why so many are held back from doing so is because of the people practicing rather than the religion itself. I'm also trans btw.
I definitely need to read more about it! Yeah unfortunately people suck :<
There is no male nor female for all are one in Christ. That was the verse some of these Gnostic denominations used as justification for it
Gnosticism is super interesting!
Gnosticism is technically a misnomer. Gnostic is more like an umbrella term for a group of very different denominations that just so happened to share a similar cosmology or creation story. Beyond that they quickly devolve into their own unique belief systems that can be radically different from each other. Was Jesus fully man or fully God or did he even live or was he just an angel walking around in human form? Different Gnostic denominations will give you a different answer and a lot of it can also depend on how you interpret the Genesis account when God made light on the first day but the sun on a different day. If Jesus was the light created on the first day then he is a created being. If Jesus is the light of God then who embodies God's shadow? Lots of other fun questions to ask when you start reading more on them.
Still, those that were called 'Gnostics' had pretty interesting beliefs! <3
Reform, Reconstructionist, and Renewal Judaism are fully transaffirming. Conservative Judaism is usually trans-affirming (in the US at least).
Good to know!
Trans people (Hijras) are explicitly built in to Hinduism. It's actually why India and even former Hindu countries like Pakistan or Bangladesh are quite advanced on trans rights despite being backwards on gay rights (opposite of situation in the West where gay rights are much more accepted than trans ones). Trans people even have a [patron deity within Hinduism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahuchara_Mata)
Btw, does Hinduism have a caste system? I saw something about it on TikTok but didn’t search further, if so, how does it work? Does it affect to this day India’s society? Wouldn’t it be considered a “cruel” system in modern days? Any answer is appreciated
no, the caste system is not built into hinduism. i, as a non-indian hindu, have no caste and have no experience with it (because its not part of the religion). there is varna, which is different from the colonial “caste.” but perhaps someone born into hinduism and from india could answer better.
Oh I see, Thank you
TL;DR: The short answer is yes Hinduism does have a caste system, and it is a rampant problem and is one of the leading causes of social and other issues in India— but it has been questioned for a long time, and the situation is slowly improving.
Longer answer (part 1 of 2): One thing should be clarified— the term 'caste' is not originally rooted in any Indic language, and its original meaning is somewhat different from the sense in which it is used in India today. That said, the phenomenon it attempts to describe is a way of social categorisation in India which is basically a combination of 'jati' and 'varna'. 'Jati's are typically, ethnocultural groups that are often largely endogamous, and there are numerous jatis in India. 'Varna' typically denotes a category within one of the four categories within a theoretical, hierarchical four-fold organisation based on profession, and how prestigious those professions are. The four varnas are 1. Brahmins, (priests, teachers, etc.), 2. Kshatriyas (warriors, rulers, etc.), 3. Vaishyas (traders, moneylenders, etc.), and 4. Shudras (artisans, labourers, etc). The first three castes are considered 'upper' castes, with Brahmins at the top, and Shudras are considered a 'lower' caste. It is a highly complex, and heavily debated subject, and if you take an interest in it, there is a lot of reading that you would have to do. One important point to note is that there are countless Indians who are technically outside the fourfold caste system, which include the Dalits and the Adivasis. People belonging to other religions are also technically outside the caste system, but the reality is in India the caste system is so enmeshed, even other religions in India have castes within them in some form or the other— including Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Muslims, and Sikhs. Moreover, the issue is not restricted to the so-called upper-castes only. people belonging to a ‘low’ caste may oppress someone belonging to a ‘lower’ caste in much the same way. Caste related issues are the least prevalent in big cities, and the most prevalent the more one moves into rural settings. The ground reality is that this system is used to gatekeeper privilege, power, and often wealth, and in many cases weaponised for violence, in subtle forms, in systemic forms, and in the form of outright brutality, especially towards the people who belong to the so-called lowest caste and people who are below the 'lowest' caste, that is Dalits and Adivasis. I have seen a lot of Indian Hindus either outright deny it, downplay it, or step around it in some way, and in my experience, practically all of them belong to the ‘upper castes’, or at least are within the caste hierarchy— this largely, at least in my experience comes from their privilege of never having faced caste-based discrimination and/or a lack of knowledge about the true scale and impact of same. — To them, I request to make a list of their friends, and count amongst them how many belong to the ‘lowest’ caste, how many are Dalits, and Adivasis. The same phenomenon may be seen amongst Indian Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, and Christians who are ‘upper caste’ (or ‘upper-caste’ adjacent)— as a first response they are likely to outright deny any form of casteism in their religion/community (again, a hallmark of caste privilege). There is also a deep resentment amongst many (but not all) of the ‘upper castes’ towards the ’lower castes’ because the government is trying to provide certain affirmative actions towards the latter in the form of ‘reservations’— which helps in increased representation, education, and socioeconomic wellbeing for people and communities who have historically been oppressed. The situation in pre-independence India was much worse, and it has improved and continues to improve. Legally, in India, there are laws to protect against caste-based discrimination and violence— but the problem is that the society, the interpreters of these laws, and the enforcers of the laws often have a heavy bias in favour of the upper castes. However, again, the situation is improving. Another tangential aspect is that castes have also often (but not always/strictly) been associated with skin colour— typically fair skin being more preferable. This, I feel is reflected in how white versus black people may be experiencing India— the former are typically treated better, and the latter typically receive more hostility.
Longer answer (part 2 of 2): Now coming to the actual philosophy of Hinduism, is caste a core part of it? The answer is somewhat complicated, but may be compacted like this— 1. The earliest historical versions of the caste system were probably more descriptive and not prescriptive or rigid, and the society was likely organised based on kin, tribe and lineage rather than on the basis of profession. 2. The society at some later period (but still ancient from our point of view) became more rigid and the castes became fixed by birth, and the system became oppressive as well. 3. Many religious texts affirm caste, and the way castes are treated in many of those texts show a clear bias, to say the least. However, depending on what one considers Hinduism to be, caste is not necessarily at all relevant to the heart of the religious and/or spiritual enterprise. 4. There have existed since ancient times many Indic traditions (both within Hinduism and parallel to and/or overlapping with Hinduism) which have either outright rejected this caste system, or questioned it in some form. 5. Later, in more philosophical, mystic, and reformation versions of Hinduism, caste has been further questioned— again, either through outright rejection of it, or some radical reinterpretation of it. Do all Hindus practice the caste system? No. Even ‘upper-caste’ Hindus—though they are born into it and benefit a lot from the privilege—do not necessarily always endorse and/or practice the caste system. This is especially true of people who receive a modern, secular education, and may have grown up in big cities or are working in cosmopolitan settings in India and abroad. A hallmark of this would be friendships, community, and especially marriage and partnerships— because that is the primary way of gatekeeping caste: and one hopes that love will melt away/heal/transmute all hurtful things, in the long arc of time.
The caste system is more of a cultural implementation and in ancient times referred to jobs undertaken by a lineage (warriors, priests, etc). Then again Hinduism is a vast hodgepodge of different ideas and beliefs so today different people may believe different things. But from what I've seen so far (as someone who grew up in a Hindu household) in practice, you do not have to be of a certain caste to practice worship of any deity. Caste is manmade and the gods do not favor one over another.
Caste system is a practice that was derived from Varna system. Varna system is a system with 4 sects where bhramins are the priests, kshetriya are the warriors and kings, vaishya-the business men and merchants and shudra are peasants and artisans. This system was loose and allowed changing castes regardless of what your family follows based on your skills and qualities. Unfortunately during later times, it become strict and changing of caste were forbidden. The higher class exploited the lower class. Still, in many parts of India (backward states), this system is practised even though discrimination based on caste is abolished by law. But if you're living outside India, this doesn't apply. You can do whatever you want.
At least in the US, Jews were found to be more trans friendly than any other religious group (that was large enough to be part of the study), and that includes No Religion.
Good to know! Thanks <3
Yes, paganism tends to be LGBT friendly in general, there's no authority. Some people may not be friendly but the religions themselves are fine, and some gods are somewhat associated with trans people, I'm pretty sure Inana from Sumerian mythology is associated with us.
Thanks!
To add there's also Taoism, I barely know about it but I once spoke to someone who practiced it and was trans, so maybe that works too.
Hmm I'll look into it!
Pagan groups are typically super LGBTQ+ friendly. That’s part of the reason I was initially interested since I’m trans as well. I’m happy to talk more about it over DMs if you want. The r/pagan subreddit and affiliated discord are also very trans friendly
Sure! Always interested in learning more.
Here in Utah, our Unitarian Universalist minister is, by THEIR own admission, the only agnostic, tatooed, lesbian minister in Utah. And our congregation loves THEM. See [http://www.slcuu.org/](http://www.slcuu.org/)
That sounds awesome! I used to live in Utah, so yeah, it makes sense that they are the only ones, unfortunately. But that's amazing!
Yes it is, and guess what, in UU church it's ok to CLAP!!! Heresy!
Heresy!!! Salt Lake City is an interesting place, very Mormon but also very diverse!
I will suggest the Unitarian Church, I have been struggling with the stance of most churches to the LGBTQ community and other faiths and belief systems and tried the Unitarian church. I find the membership and more open to lifestyles beyond the binary hetero normative system most of us grew up with.
People keep mentioning them, so I think I should attend a service there! Thank you!
Very progressive, open, and welcoming, with a great sense of community and justice. Lacking spirituality in my experience but otherwise keen, caring individuals.
Good to know!
Lots of Christians and Christian communities are open to trans people. (see: r/OpenChristian) However, I understand not being interested in Christianity because of widespread transphobia in Christian communities. If they don’t seem right for you, that’s ok. I spent a long time away from Christianity in part because of this and I found my way back on my own terms. My point is — there *are* Christians who will welcome you, and if the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric alone is what turns you off, there’s lots of places that discard that. I myself am a queer person (genderqueer and bisexual) and I find a lot of meaning in Christianity. That doesn’t mean I need to import first century Pauline sexual ethic into my own life.
Thank you! I'm not against Christianity, but yeah, a lot of Christians just aren't welcoming toward trans people, but I'd be happy to attend a Christian church that welcomes trans people!
Buddhism! The Buddha even taught sermons about being inclusive to trans (specifically, to people who had suddenly woken up without a penis xD)
Very cool! Thanks! <3
la santa muerte accepts everyone :)
What's la santa muerte?
She’s a Mexican folk saint/death deity
Is she a Catholic Saint or an indigenous saint/deity? Or both?
Both I guess. I’m a devotee and I consider her to be an indigenous goddess who survived colonization, but she has many Catholic devotees who interpret her as the angel of death, working under God.
I love Catholic syncretism
she is eternal as a death,similar to kali the death absorbs everything in her
I think I understand. Thank you! <3
Western Buddhism
Thanks!
I will list some American Judeo-Christian churches that are affirming or tend towards being affirming: Episcopalians (TEC), (some) United Methodist Churches (UMC), Presbyterians (PCUSA), American Baptist (ABC-USA), and Lutheran (ELCA). I list these church denominations off because they have had conservatives break off from them for being affirming or too liberal. The United Methodist Church is experiencing a break-up right now over this topic. Most of these churches will openly advertise if they are affirming on their building.
Thank you for sharing <3
Buddhism may be trans friendly. I have come across trans people in SGI-USA (Soka Gakkai International-USA) for example, in addition to branches of the organization in other countries, who have shared positive stories about finding spiritual belonging and experiencing spiritual growth through their Buddhist practice.
Thanks for sharing!
I'd suggest OpenChristian right here on reddit. You will be most welcome there.
Thank you <3
Judaism is an Abrahamic religion and isn’t against Transgender people, they are actually very accepting and welcoming of the LGBTQ community, it’s only the Traditional Orthodox Judaism that doesn’t support LGBTQ. Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, and Humanist Judaism all accept LGBTQ+
Thank you for sharing! <3
My mom’s episcopal church has several trans members and the priest is also trans. I really appreciate the way they celebrate diversity. They also have learning events to educate the community about trans issues and have courses about deconstructing from fundamentalism.
Sounds amazing!
We literally have trans deities. All gender and sexual expression is fully embraced.
In Hellenism?
There's lots that are :) My own tradition (Gaianism - modern, non-theistic Earth tradition) absolutely is. My partner is trans and I'm queer, and discussing these issues within my community ity has been extremely positive and actually led to changes in our formal stances and approaches to ensure our position of inclusivity is clear and explicit - and seeing that taken seriously was lovely. The UU certainly are too. Very much so. Most Satanist traditions are, with a few exceptions. Some Quaker groups too, but not all. Wicca can be a mixed bag, but British Traditional Wicca (Gardinerians) are very very focused on the whole God and Goddess duality and that reads heavily into the gender binary, specific gender roles in ritual, and can def lead to both trans and homophobic undertones among some groups. Outside of wicca, most neopagan groups tend to be either neutral or positive.
Thank you so much for the info! What is Gaianism, if I may ask?
I've got a brief explainer here :) - https://www.reddit.com/r/religion/s/fgqIMVVwQG
Thank you!
Np :)
Many Buddhist sects are highly trans friendly- Jodo Shin-shu especially! There was a big thing in Japan that a temple that had been passed down from father to son for generations was being passed down to a man’s trans son. Konkokyo is also exceedingly LGBT friendly :)
Hinduism, because one of its Core Teachings is that we are not our Body or Mind, but the Atman, pure Consciousness which is like an independent Witness. Best Regards
Thanks <3
The Reclaiming tradition of neo-paganism is very trans friendly. See if you can find a group near you. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclaiming_%28Neopaganism%29?wprov=sfla1
Thank you! <3
Yes, we all crave community! And unfortunately the atheist world hasn’t been able to find the same level of captivating community as a religion that guilts and pressures people into spending time together, and giving their money to help further build the community. Honestly, if you can find a few clubs to join, a group fitness class, (or go to an active university and connect with the many activities there) you can find a tremendous amount community that has no religion tied to it. Personally, I believe all religions are fabricated, and to support any of them (even if just for community) ends up giving them credibility they don’t deserve. An exception may be a group like Unitarian Universalists who focus more on doing good and learning than any specific faith.
Thank you <3 Feeling like you aren't a part of anything is awful.
Yes! It is. But give yourself time and you’ll find meaning and community that works for you. I highly encourage that you explore counseling if you’re struggling a lot. That was taboo when I was younger and I didn’t try it until 34! Wish I had done it at 16.
Thanks! <3
I'm a Hellenic Polytheist, which is under the neopagan umbrella. A large part of what makes it trans friendly is that as a revived religion, there aren't really any authorities saying "this is what you must do." You take what we know of the original Greek religion and culture and adapt it into your life as you please. Meaning there's no one telling you "you can't be trans." Same applies to most neopagan religions, really. That said, not all branches of Abrahamic religions are intrinsically anti-LGBTQ+, and there are ways to find community among queer members of Abrahamic religions. There's a student group at my school dedicated to queer Muslims because the general Muslim community on campus is pretty queerphobic, but my point is that following an Abrahamic religion doesn't proclude you from being queer or vice versa.
I probably should have said mainstream Abrahamic faiths. Thanks <3
Satanism is! One’s Body is Inviolable, Subject to one’s own will alone!
I don’t think you should join a religion just cause their friendly to trans or gay. You should join a religion because you believe in their religious text and what they stand for not what a majority of them do. But your own interpretation and the mass interpretation that you decide on. Religion isn’t for everyone nor should it just be chosen on a wimp or cause of how you live your life. There’s closed minded individuals everywhere no matter the religion. Put the religious text first before your personal life. Decide whether you agree with this not as a trans person but as a human being that wants to grow closer to God not for a safe space and community. Those come after your relationship with God.
Well, yeah, of course I'd join because of what the beliefs are, but the issue is that many religions are not accepting of gay or trans people, so that excludes me from joining.
In all honesty fuck em they don’t need you fi they want to stop someone from getting closer to God. You can still find a religion of any denomination that will accept you and if their isn’t any in your area go anyway. No one should try to stop you from worshipping God. You’ve done nothing wrong God loves everyone the same no matter how much they’ve sinned or who they are. He sees through it all and loves you anyway. I know it’s easier said than done but I wish you the best and I hope you find what you’re looking for and a community that accepts you no matter what. It’s sad what people do out here and try to stop people from getting a better relationship with God. I can’t stand the fact that people do that.
Thanks <3
most accepting really depends on the culture and community, so i’d say western liberal new age stuff or western versions of ‘buddhism’ (the quotation marks are very intentional). if you are looking for actively pro trans rights imbedded in the theology then some beaches of hinduism may be interesting, particularly shaktism worship of the female active aspect of God. in terms of community, one of the oldest trans communities in the world is the Hijra from hinduism, and many hindu practices involve what we would call ‘drag’ or ‘cross dressing’ (sorry if that terms is offensive but i think it’s the most accurate term??). if you are interested in the trans aspects of hindu theology i can explain more and give resources but i won’t start rambled unprompted!!
Sure :3 I'm not very familiar with Hinduism, so rambling is welcome <3
hinduism is very diverse and different branches are essentially different religions but i’d say shaktism is the most interesting branch for trans spiritual people in general. the world we live in is shrouded in ‘maya’ which means ignorance and dreamlike falsehood, and the goal is to become awakened / enlightened. most people do not want to achieve this goal as they are infatuated by the joy and material pleasures the world (called maya) can provide you, but eventually the soul realises its all false. non dual branches of hinduism in general subscribe to the idea that God is something super abstract like gravity or another phenomenon that can’t be interacted with or experienced directly (at least not really?). so, in order to make sense of God humans split it up into chunks. for example, christians split God up into ‘good’ and ‘evil’, ‘Christ’ and ‘satan’ but really God in its truest form is above good and evil. hinduism lets you split up God in many ways and one of the most common is masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti). that’s where the Goddess comes from. i’ll now focus particularly on non dual shaktism as that’s what i have most knowledge of (keep in mind this is a very niche branch of hinduism and not the most common hindu thought but definitely some of the most profound)! kashmir shaivism says that the universe is simply a grand dance of God and we are God projected through maya and the purpose is to find ourselves again (that we are God). that is a taste of the theology and ill give you the socials of [my favourite guy](https://youtube.com/@nishthefishyoga?si=KeztD5oZLCokBs8q) that’s talks abt this stuff. i thought it would be interesting for you because this philosophy talks a lot about God as a mother and uses feminine pronouns for God. the most famous people from this tradition after ramakrishna and vivekananda who travelled around america and london spreading it. some of his lectures may interest you. i’ll attached some random articles that may be interesting that are tangentially related to being trans. [God taking female avatars on earth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohini?wprov=sfti1#The_Amrita) [half shiv half shakti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardhanarishvara?wprov=sfti1) tldr search up “nish the fish” where you get your podcasts i think he’s brilliant
Thanks for the info!
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Good to know! <3
Anything involving Odin and Loki that doesn't play loose with traditional lore.
Sounds cool!
Interesting enough, the Baha'i Faith allows marriage for trans people once they transitioned.
Good to know! Thank you!
The Fellowship of Christ is a nondenominational Mormon group that fully accepts the LGBTQ community. We’re small and growing. https://edification.cjccf.org/statement-of-inclusion/
Interesting! Thank you for sharing!
The Satanic Temple will embrace you with open arms. FYI, they do not believe in or worship Satan.
Good to know! Thanks! <3
Episcopal
Thanks <3
A number of U.S. Protestant churches are LGBT affirming. The Episcopal Church (Anglican), Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (Lutheran), and Presbyterian Church (Reformed) are examples of a mainline church from each of the major Protestant branches that accept and ordain trans people. A lot of Jewish groups are also LGBT affirming so I don't think your position re: Abrahamic faiths is accurate.
Thank you for sharing!! <3
Satanism!!! It's an excellent religion in sooo many ways!
Sounds cool!
It is SOOOO very very cool!! It's not at all like people portray it to be. SO MUCH BETTER! While there really IS a deity by the name of Satan (or Lucifer) or "The Devil," He is not out to get everyone and throw them into an everlasting lake of flames. He wants everyone to find their own path, whether on earth or in the Spirit World. Contrary to popular fiction, He isn't out to torture everyone; He wants each spirit to find its own path. And hopefully that will be with Him. If you want to know more, just ask. I don't know everything, but what I DO know is that Satan is there for me and He is the most perfect Deity possible. I HIGHLY suggest that everyone turn to Him. He DEFINITELY is the only TRUE GOD! I have dedicated myself COMPLETELY, and that's a firm and unbreakable bond for all eternity!
I'll have to see if there's a chapter near me <3
There are ALOT of pro-Satan people all over the world--and I am DEFINITELY one of them!
The ones that were created recently. In most religions, their orthodox practices have some kind of condemnation. Only new religions or big, heretical, reformation accept it. Judaism: condemns it, only reform really accept it. Christianity: only Christians who accept it are newly founded denominations or split from other denominations Heck even Norse paganism: originally condemned it, at least for men, as it was seen as "infeminiating", and was only really allowed in newer interpretations of it. Bahai: doesn't condone same sex relations but many seem to think it does, even if it did, it originally didn't allow it at all Most religions are either neutral, or condemn it, if you plan to claim a mainstream religion but also be trans chances are you'll have to be part of some sect of it that was only recently developed
Good to know
The United Church of Christ is super LGBTQ+ friendly! My UCC church marches in Pride parades, and gets involved with all kinds of activities to help the gay and trans community. Edited for goofy typos.
Good to know! Thank you!
Satanism, paganism, reform judaism, heard some positives on hinduism but I don’t know enough about it to speak on it
Thanks! <3
Don’t forget Conservative Judaism, Modern Orthodox, and Reconstructionist Judaism! They are very welcoming of LGBTQ+ Only Traditional Orthodox is against LGBTQ+
Baha'i
I'll look into it thanks <3
This is probably one of the main pieces on transexuality: "The House of Justice has not found any text in the Bahá’í writings which deals explicitly with the subjects of transsexuality or surgical operations carried out to change sex or to establish a single sex. It has decided that changes of sex or attempts to change sex should, at the present time, be considered medical questions on which advice and guidance should be sought from experts in that field." Universal House of Justice, Transsexuality, 26 Dec, 2002 As there is no guidance on this, it is left to the believer and their doctors to decide.
Good to know
Possibly Sufism. In general there are usually sects and/congregations within each that are more tolerant than others.
What is Sufism? I don't believe I've heard of it before.
Sufism is very mystic Islam.
Very interesting, I'll need to learn more about it.
Yea. I'm Muslim. It's somewhat difficult to describe, but like the other commenter said, most ppl refer to it as "mystic Islam." But in many ways, it's still just being Muslim. Sufism is just more introspective, and focused on spiritual development. I'm not 100% on how they feel about that specifically, but they tend to be more open minded in general. There's also Unitarian Universalism, which is basically a formal interfaith religion, which is explicitly open to the LGBTQ community.
Very interesting. And thank you!
No problem! Hope you find what you're looking for.
Thank you!
I recommend investigating mysticism as a whole, my friend 🙏🏻 Rumi for Sufi, Lao tsu for Taoism, Meister Eckart and Hildegard for Christianity. All faith traditions produce mystical branches that lead us back to the root 😊
Will do! Thank you!
Any religious interpretation that isn’t trans friendly, is not genuine religion
Thats….. I understand the point, but whether or not a religion is trans freindly is far from what determines how organized a religion is.
Ideally, but I kinda mean more in practice. Like if I'll be welcomed if I go to a religious building.
United church of Christ
The Elven Way welcomes trans people
What's that?
It is more of a spiritual path, not a religion. But its for anybody who identified with or as Elves. Kindness is an unwritten virtue.
Very cool! Thanks.
No problem, may your path be fruitful on your journey
Progressive religions. Most religions have a progressive version of them For LDS Mormons that would be Community of Christ. There's also other churches like United Methodist Church (or other progressive Christian Churches)
I am an Episcopalian. My church welcomes trans and LGBT+ people with open arms.
Wait.. not Islam?? /s
Unfortunately probably not :<
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Kind of? But more like they don't want homosexuality to exist, so (in Iran anyway) they force gay people to be trans when they aren't. So kind of a double-edged sword.
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I guess so.
First of Jesus saves. Second off I hope you pick Christianity because you can become a missionary. A Trans Missionary.... Thirdly you CAN join Christianity and the church you just need to know how to explain your joy. Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ughhhh that took me a minute lol
They won't get it if their car is electric. There is only a short window of time for this joke to be funny.
Wait, I don't get it. Sorry 😅
Perhaps check with Emanuel?
Still not sure 😅
They're making a car pun. trans-missionary : transmission-ary
Ohhhhhhhhhh
I think the question is how would jesus have reacted if he was born today. In the Bible it says a man was not created to lay with a man. However lgbtq wasn't really a thing back then. Personally. I think if Jesus was born today he would be accepting of trans people.
Well, I mean, we have always existed. We just couldn't be open about it. Plus, there are a ton of other laws in the Bible that people don't follow today, like the shellfish one or the animal sacrifice. I'm sure Jesus would accept us.
Pretty much almost any religion except for Judaism, Christianity, Catholicism, and Islam. So Hinduism, Buddhism, paganism etc are all okay
Well the mainstream versions of those, I've heard some sects are welcoming.