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one of the first people I came out to was my youth pastor.

Discussion in 'Coming Out Stories' started by gayftm, Jul 20, 2016.

  1. gayftm

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    Location:
    Tallahassee, FL
    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    So I've identified as a trans man since I was 14 (I was always male, but I didn't figure out all of the trans stuff until later). I came out as trans on tumblr and a couple other online places right when I figured it out. The first irl person I came out to was the youth pastor at my southern baptist church. For those who don't know, the SBC is extremely transphobic.
    I wrote a note, explaining the bare minimum, and gave it to him at the beginning of youth Bible study. After, he and I talked for like 45 minutes. It was rough. He told me I was going to hell, that I deserved every bit of pain other people inflict upon me due to my trans ID, that he would always see me as female. Now, I had been researching and studying trans identity in the Bible for about 6 months before this. The Bible does not say anything about trans people being bad or sinful. It does say that all people, no matter what, deserve respect and love. We argued several passages for awhile, and I countered every one. Finally, he said "the southern baptist convention says it's bad." I was livid. He said all these awful things because of what other people say to think?! The Bible reminds us that no man is infallible, and all man-made structures and systems of power are shakeable. The Bible tells us that God is the only infallible, unshakeable being. The Bible tells us that a hierarchy like the SBC is not something for us to have much faith in, and this guy was refusing to question it, refusing to speak out against it? And this 25 year old cishet youth pastor was telling me these awful things?
    I specifically told him not to tell anyone. He knew he was the first irl person I told, and that I trusted him, even though he said all of those things to me. By Sunday, 4 days later, I found out he'd told his wife, the pastor, and the pastor's wife. He knew that that was a threat to my safety.
    Later, he gave my mom a phone number for a therapist. We told him that was unnecessary, that I was already seeing a therapist who specialized in gender dysphoria. He insisted we at least call. It was a religious therapist. I went to see her, and I figured out pretty quickly that I'd been put into conversion therapy without my consent. I saw her like 3 times. I convinced my mom to let me switch back because the therapist had been asking a lot of questions about sex, dating, bottom surgery, etc. and writing detailed notes. I said I was uncomfortable with her. My mom relented, mostly because I'd started self harming again. Plus, I was 15 at the time. It's weird for an adult to be asking those questions to a literal child.
    I'm now 17, I openly identify as a trans man, and I'm about to start T. My mom has come around. Unfortunately, my church still hates me for being trans. But I don't care anymore.
     
  2. Silver Sparrow

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    I'm really sorry that you had that experience with your church, but glad that you seem to be doing better with regards to your mother now.
     
  3. Flatulentius

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    That your youth pastor couldn't even contain his contempt and hatred for you speaks volumes. He couldn't even pretend to be nice and "loving" while saying that he "disagreed with your lifestyle" or whatever BS pseudo-accepting phrase they're teaching them in the seminaries these days; he had to go straight for the pure, unadulterated hate. #$%& him and the horse he rode in on.

    I'm glad that your mom supports you now. If you still want to be a part of a church community, do you have any options in your area like the United Church of Christ (not to be confused with the Church of Christ, which is totally different and not cool with LGB or T people), the ELCA Lutheran church, or the Metropolitan Community Church? There may be other types of churches, too, if those aren't an option (check the map on the website Believe Out Loud). If you never want to go in a church again, I totally understand and affirm that; I just feel like you should be aware that there are religious communities out there that will actually love you as the person you really are, if you want to be a part of such a community.
     
  4. Jackie13

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    Ugh!!!!!! This turned my stomach. I'm a Christian too and he had no right to say those things!!!!! Not only is it against common decency, it totally demonstrates he has not learned the love of Jesus. His job was to be there for you and support you and he utterly wasn't. I'm glad you got out of the conversion therapy. And I'm so glad your mom supports you now.
     
  5. kronixx

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    Yet another story of how the LGBT community is discriminated upon. If he knew the first thing about the bible he would know there is nothing in there against people who identify as transgender.
     
  6. NoXsOrOs

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    Location:
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    Gender:
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    Questioning
    Out Status:
    Some people
    :/ Hopefully the act of one does not speak for us all.. This was a major mistake of that man, he clearly was so close minded that he could hardly look at the pages of the bible.
     
  7. Eab91

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    Hugs. I am so sorry. :frowning2:
     
  8. Stewie

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    Out to everyone
    That is horrible, I don't even have the words. (&&&)(&&&)(&&&)