How Ritual Baths Present Obstacles of Inclusion for Transgender Jews

[stephaniec]

How Ritual Baths Present Obstacles of Inclusion for Transgender Jews

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/transgender-jews-mikvah_55b171eee4b0a13f9d17f78a?utm_hp_ref=transgender

Religion News Service/by Lauren Markoe    07/23/2015

"Converting to Judaism about a year ago, a transgender man in Washington, D.C., asked his rabbi a pointed question about the last step in the process, which calls for dunking naked in a ritual bath.
Could he locate a transgender man to serve as the required witness for this immersion?
Dozens of Jewish leaders in the region, including Rabbi Laurie Green, got the email asking if they could produce such a witness, who, according to Jewish law, would have to be Jewish.
"We were looking really hard to find someone," said Green, who presides at Bet Mishpachah, a gay congregation in the nation's capital. "It was a problem that we couldn't meet this reasonable request."

[stephaniec]

good to hear of caring religion

[suzifrommd]

Way cool that they're including a special blessing and ceremony for a gender transition. I hope that catches on.

[gennee]

Interesting article. I get the idea that the Jewish community is more open to trans people in some respects. I might be wrong.