Clergy Members Denounce Trump’s Anti-Transgender Stance as Unchristian
The Trump Administration has recently launched a comprehensive attack on transgender individuals, removing mentions of transgender people from , threatening access to , and prohibiting transgender individuals from , among other actions.
President Donald Trump and his allies have attempted to justify their anti-trans agenda by invoking “religious freedom” for Christians, asserting that God created only two genders, male and female, and that any alternative interpretation violates Christian tenets. However, this conservative “Christian” stance against trans rights is fundamentally unchristian.
Having studied and taught the Bible for many years, we find no justification for the dehumanization of individuals created in God’s image. The Bible offers broad guidance, and we cannot allow right-wing groups to distort our sacred texts through misinterpretations. Other Christian faith leaders should also condemn these actions.
The Bible never explicitly condemns transgender people or denies their existence. While conservative Christians may cite , which states that God made “male and female,” the Bible also uses both male and female imagery to describe God.
For instance, in , God promises salvation and foretells the coming of the Messiah, comparing himself to a woman in labor: “For a long time I have kept silent… but now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out.”
Similarly, in , God speaks through Isaiah, offering comfort like a mother: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.”
In , God warns of the consequences of turning away, comparing himself to an eagle protecting its young and condemning those who forget “the God who gave you birth.”
We believe God created transgender and intersex individuals, and gender fluidity is as integral to some of God’s creations as identifying with a single gender expression. The struggle for the freedom to be is a timeless, biblical theme. Right-wing forces conveniently ignore the reality of gender fluidity expressed in scripture and throughout human history, overlooking key biblical themes of freedom and acceptance.
Beyond specific verses, our sacred text consistently calls us to love our neighbors, support the vulnerable, and embrace all human beings without exception. Denying the existence of transgender people, bullying them, or undermining their rights violates these core moral values.
As trans writer Julian K. Jarboe , “God blessed me by making me transsexual… so that humanity might share in the act of creation.”
In addition to weaponizing the Bible, right-wing forces are imposing their narrow version of Christianity onto all aspects of , disregarding diverse religious perspectives. For example, President Trump directed the Department of Education to end support for , which could negatively impact their physical and mental health.
There’s between and within religious traditions regarding gender identity. Imposing a singular view undermines our religiously diverse country and basic religious freedoms. Virtually every religious tradition respects the sanctity of human beings in their rich diversity, a teaching that should be applied throughout society.
As religious leaders, we stand in solidarity with the transgender community and mourn the loss of trans lives, including Sam Nordquist, a trans man from Minnesota.
We must stop using the Bible as a tool of hate and instead embrace its message of love and faith, working for justice and equality for all of God’s creations.