In Search of Sanity and Sanctuary: Transgender Athletes are the New "Other"

 I can't imagine being a transgender young athlete male-to-female at this time of our modern society's life. Transgender mtf young athletes are the new "Other," the new "marginalized," the new "target" of conservative lawmakers in the US.

Red or conservative state after conservative state, with some but not all, conservative Republican governors, are signing into law bills that are clearly meant to hurt and discriminate against a vulnerable population.

This is what Paul LeBlanc of CNN wrote regarding the law which was just passed by Governor Justice of West Virginia: "The law, which cleared the state's Republican-led legislature in recent weeks, states that such teams must be designated based on "biological sex," thus prohibiting trans women and girls from participating on women's athletic teams 'where competitive skill or contact is involved.' 'Biological sex' is a term the lawmakers use to refer to the sex determined at the time of birth based on 'reproductive biology and genetics at birth.'" (https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/28/politics/west-virginia-anti-trans-sports-bill/index.html)

However, last night in his address to a joint session of US Congress on April 28, 2021, President Biden said this: “To all the transgender Americans watching at home — especially the young people who are so brave — I want you to know that your president has your back."

Talk about conflicting messages!

On the one hand, legislatures in states like South Dakota, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and now West Virginia have all passed these anti-transgender bills. 

On the other hand, the President of the US is telling transgender youth that they are to know that "your President has your back."

What is one to do?

This is where I wish that churches and other communities of faith were strong in our response to transgender people in general, and transgender youth in particular. While the ACLU and groups like PFLAG and Human Rights Campaigns are speaking up and out against these anti-transgender bills, leadership in the major mainline denominations are completely silent this morning. I checked all the websites for the major Protestant denominations that are pro-LGBTQIA+ and there is silence. I did not check the websites of the major Protestant denominations that are anti-LGBTQIA+, like The United Methodist Church. I already know their response: silence.

And it is an audible silence. 

This is where individual communities of faith and major religious groups need to speak out, be in solidarity with transgender people, and providing a voice of sanity, reminding everyone we are all created in the image of God, imago Dei. This is where the major Protestant denominations need to be loud and strong in the public square and our modern politics. This is where our individual communities of faith and major religious should be providing sanctuary, a safe place, a place of rest and respite amid the assault on individual transgender lives.

And let us remember this: the reason that these conservative Republican legislatures are aiming at transgender youth is because they are small in numbers, and have little in the way of political power. They are an easy mark. An easy target.

So, let us rise, people of faith, LGBTQIA+ and non-LGBTQIA+, and stand with, be in solidarity with transgender people, especially the young, and let us make our voices heard and stop these laws before any more states pass them, or find federal laws that will block and veto these harmful, hate-filled state laws.