Topic: Ultra-Orthodox and trans:I prayed to God to make me a girl'

[Jennifer300]

Interesting story. 

Ultra-Orthodox and trans: 'I prayed to God to make me a girl'


https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-51928077

by Abby Stein
26 April 2020

[sarahc]

I read her book - very good!

It was very a trippy read, because there was this one set of experiences (growing up Orthodox) that was totally foreign to me, while on the other hand there were these other experiences (dealing with childhood while knowing that you're trans) that were all too relatable for me and probably relatable for those on the forum who also knew that they were trans when they were young. There was this added twist that because she was Hasidic, she had no access to the Internet growing up, and therefore she had no idea that being transgender was a thing. Much like it was when I was growing up in the actual pre-Internet days.

The only disappointment from the book is that it only recounts her pre-transition journey, not transition itself. Still a great story, but it does end with a feeling of wanting more from the story.

I heard from a friend who attended a lecture of hers at a local (Reform) synagogue that she was a very smart and interesting woman.

Sarah

[DawnOday]

I had very similar circumstances. My grandparents helped found the Foursquare church back in the 1930's so we were subjected to scripture and Christian idealism from an early age. However as we went along we were finding more and more ministers could not keep their trash in their pants. I thought that was hypocrisy. But that was the fallacy as I saw it. More and more of the people they were giving money to were not moral. I caused me to believe in Deism. I believe in a higher power. But the church is of man so it has fallacies . I cannot be a hypocrite. I can't claim superiority. Because I am not. I am taller. But that's it. I spent so much time praying to wake up a girl. Since I left the church I have found many more inconsistency's. And to think with all of our problems all we have to do is swing our jacket at it. Sprinkle holy water, out of the faucet or anointment 3in1 oil. Eat fake flesh crackers and grape juice. Only to find it's all about the Benjamin's.

[Christine123]

Very interesting read!
I also wish she had included more about her transition days, instead of just pre-transition. I grew up religious (and still am) and it was such a dilemma knowing that I was trans.