Tucked inside my Bible, I found this letter:
A little over a year after my gender confirmation surgery, I received a letter from a friend, a retired mechanic with whom I had been part of a men’s Bible Study for close to twenty years. After reading it, I stuck it inside my Bible and forgot all about it—until a couple of days ago. I discovered it while unpacking after my recent move. Note: This old friend didn’t use my name in the letter and instead used the initial for my former male name in brackets (J), nor did he begin with a salutation. He also didn’t sign the letter or include a return address. I’m sure his heart was in the right place and was thinking of what’s best for me, once you strip the paint off, his letter was deeply hurtful and transphobic. While I understand the importance of confronting one another when neces-sary, it is not an excuse to attack someone's identity and use religion as a weapon. This behavior drives people away from faith and causes deep wounds in the LGBTQ+ community. It's crucial to rem...