Tuesday, November 2, 2010
BELIEVING OUT LOUD IN ORLANDO
Submitted by the Rev. Vicky Gray
http://blog.transepiscopal.com/2010/11/believing-out-loud-in-orlando.html (http://blog.transepiscopal.com/2010/11/believing-out-loud-in-orlando.html)
Over the Columbus Day weekend, October 8-11, I attended the Believe Out Loud Power Summit in Orlando, Florida, representing TransEpiscopal and, together with Oasis California chair Tom Jackson and St. Aidan's San Francisco Rector Tommy Dillon, the Bay Area Oasis/Integrity community. It was an inspiring, empowering conference in which the transgender – and specifically TransEpiscopal – community was seen and heard...and welcomed as full participants. My participation was funded in good part by Integrity and Oasis and I am grateful to both.
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The transgender presence was visible and welcomed at the Summit and two trans people participated in the general worship service. Eight people attended the Saturday evening transgender caucus, including one gender queer person and the father of child just beginning the FtM transition. There were several other trans/gender queer people at the Summit who, perhaps less ready to come out, chose not to attend the transgender caucus.