Conservative Judaism and TG?

[michelle666]

How are practitioners of Conservative Judaism with trandspeople? I'm asking because I just had an interview at a Conservative Judaism school and think I am going to be offered the job. But it's not something that I'm going to take if they are hostile towards us.

[Devlyn]

My boss is Jewish, I don't know what "flavor" though! He may be reading this, Hi Maurice! His take on my crossdressing: Every family has one person like that. At work I'm called Devlyn or Mike interchangeably. The point is, people are people, and they all react differently. I hope you meet an accepting group like I have. I believe we forge a lot of our own acceptance, though. Hugs, Devlyn

[PrincessLeiah]

The Conservative movement as a whole has only just managed to get on board with ordaining gay and lesbian rabbis, and as far as I'm aware they haven't really addressed transgender issues at all yet. This means that there probably isn't any movement wide policy on trans discrimination- not that this is unusual. Long story short, it's probably going to be completely dependent on the culture at that particular shul.

[Nina Podolskaya]

i went to this conservative shul for 2 times,and this one was really orthodox 

[michelle666]

i went to this conservative shul for 2 times,and this one was really orthodox 

Did they accept you for who you are there?

[Nina Podolskaya]

i was still hasidim at the time so yeah 

[Nina Podolskaya]

maybe there's some lesbian/gay rabbis,but this conservative rabbi told me that conservative judaism consider it a sin,like they won't mind you come to their shul but they won't marry you etc,you'll need to find an open-minded conservative rabbi i guess,i would recommend you to go attend reform shul tho

[michelle666]

maybe there's some lesbian/gay rabbis,but this conservative rabbi told me that conservative judaism consider it a sin,like they won't mind you come to their shul but they won't marry you etc,you'll need to find an open-minded conservative rabbi i guess,i would recommend you to go attend reform shul tho

I'm not actually Jewish. I'm going to be working at a conservative day school in the office, so I was wondering how they feel about tg people.

[eli77]

I'm not actually Jewish. I'm going to be working at a conservative day school in the office, so I was wondering how they feel about tg people.

Like Leiah said, it's going to depend entirely on the individual shul. The Conservative movement is a very loose association and a lot of the policies are intentionally left up to the rabbis and communities of the shuls. The "ordaining gay and lesbian rabbis" thing was adopted and a resolution banning it was adopted simultaneously (both by a majority of the voters) letting each shul decide which they'd do. Similarly for commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples, and recently for same-sex marriages. They take their independence really seriously. The Conservatives are the largest movement in Canada, and we've got everything from shuls that are marrying same-sex couples and totally accepting and progressive, to shuls that at best offer a "don't ask don't tell" policy.

If it was one of the other movements - Reform, Reconstruction, Modern Orthodox, Orthodox - we could tell you what to expect. But with Conservative, it's gonna be a bit of a dice roll, sorry.

[Stephanie.Izann]

I was raised conservative and I can tell you that that branch can be very very difficult on TG people.

I found that the reform movement and Reconstructionists tend to be very forward thinking and open to us TG peeps. There are more than a few Trans Rabbi's in both. My rabbi knows about me and she has been amazing! In fact she is very careful with the way she approaches me and the way she speaks about me to others. I LOVE HER.

I love that you are researching this even if it's just to make sure you are comfortable with your transition.  Remember, it's hard enough that you are transitioning why put yourself in a hostile environment?


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And to the others on here NICE TO SEE YOU !

Shalom,
Stephie