Early on New Year's Day, Minister BobbieJean Baker, a trans woman of color and minister at City of Refuge church in Oakland, died in a car crash. I had been invited to her funeral service today, by friends of mine who were colleagues of hers.
It was a beautiful thing.
I'd never seen so many trans persons in a place of worship before, and we were in the First Congregational Church of Oakland. Miss Major, one of the last (if not the last) surviving Screaming Queens from the Stonewall Riots was there, as she had been adopted by BobbieJean as a grandmother. And as she spoke of BobbieJean I realized how much I owed the ease of my own transition to them both.
The Transcendence Gospel Choir, a choir entirely comprised of trans persons, sang in Minister BobbieJean's honor. And Bishop Yvette Flunder gave a rousing eulogy. Though not trans herself, Bishop Flunder leads City of Refuge, a congregation that is the home church to a great many trans persons, possibly as many as half of their regular attendees.
I went to support my friends in their grief, and ended up weeping for the memory of someone I never knew.
Rest in Power, Minister BobbieJean Baker.
Hallelujah, and amen!
