Church of Scotland launch booklet on "Diverse Gender Identities and Pastoral Care"

[MarSeeAh]

A link to the document itself can be found on the page I'm linking to here.

www.churchofscotland.org.uk/resources/learn/resources/diverse_gender_identities_and_pastoral_care

I need to calm myself before I read it.

Just having a look now. Wish I had a gin to hand...

Can't see a similar leaflet about supporting lesbian and gay parishioners - any idea why?

.... probably irrelevant that there are probably ten times as many of them....

I really dislike the word androgyne. I don't know why it's felt it's more appropriate than calling oneself 'manwoman' which sounds quite unpleasant.
I dislike it as much as 'moist'.
I am v triggered.

Can't see a similar leaflet about supporting lesbian and gay parishioners - any idea why?

This booklet was produced as a direct result of a motion put from the floor of General Assembly 2016. It was supported by a significant majority of those present and voting. There was some discussion. I was the only person who voiced any concerns at all.

I'm not aware of there having been any similar request for a similar booklet to support LGB parishioners. If there had been, I suspect it would have been more controversial! But maybe I'm just being cynical.

As a lesbian woman in the C of S I've often felt it would help to put some supportive info out there to counteract the times that lesbian/gay issues come up in the press in relation to C of S where it's usually some v right-wing person arguing we're all awful and should definitely not be able to get married in the church, which doesn't make me feel particularly included.
In reality, in my own church, I very much am.
It's the policy-level stuff that would be nice.
I do like the 'this is a story from Iona' approach as it doesn't preclude the publication of a future booklet with stories from eg lesbians who do not experience attraction for male adult humans. Because we are lesbians. Which is not about gender-feels. etc.
I am dead good at stories, honest.

There could be leaflets themed around all protected characteristics. There's been stuff produced about male violence against women which was good.
It'd be nice to have one about challenging racist attitudes, supporting refugees etc.
Assuming they're not too resource-heavy to produce.
As it is, it seems a bit odd to have the one about gender identity hanging about like a loner.

I've not been able to do more than skim read parts of it. Gin would be helpful.

I do notice that lipstick and haircuts seem to get a few mentions, as do histories of poor mental health. One contributor has their life goal as having a beard and wearing lipstick.

Yes, this provides a good opportunity to suggest a series of similar booklets on all protected characteristics. Definitely!

'love and truth go together'
I agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly.

I think if I were going to contribute a story I might talk more about what I offered to a church community, rather than being so utterly solipsistic and off-the-wall but maybe that was the brief?

You know where I am if you want a Brave and Stunning lesbian story!

Oh I found the 'beard and lipstick' comment now.
Why do so many people in that context talk about lipstick?
Am I missing something? Would it change my life and help me to be more Brave and Stunning and gender-bending?
From the outside it just seems to stain cups.

'Who is supporting the minister through this time?'

::laughs hollow-style::

Sorry to dominate thread- found a couple of bits I was surprised by.
' one time the bishop quite pointedly avoided me when it was time for the sharing of the peace,
but I chased her down the aisle and got my handshake'
I find this creepy in terms of the boundary-invasion.

Then Julie's story bothers me.
' being transgender is not a sexual perversion – it is nothing to do with sex – gender
and sexuality are poles apart'
That implies to me that transgender people ought to be respected and included because they're not icky perverts like the gays.
But the whole tone of it was very 'keep your marriage together at all costs' somehow and I feel unsettled by that.

But the whole tone of it was very 'keep your marriage together at all costs' somehow and I feel unsettled by that.

During the discussion at GA16 a minister stood up, spoke in support of the motion, and told of a family in his parish. The husband had decided he was a woman. He and his wife had 4 children. The marriage eventually broke down, the TIM left for a time, then came back - I think having decided he was a man after all, and he and his wife were reconciled. This was seen as a successful outcome. The whole focus was on the husband. There was not one shred of concern for the wife and the children and how this must have affected them.

Yes - there's two things that bother me maybe.
One is the 'marriage must be preserved at all costs' thing. I don't ever agree with that.
The second is how invisible the spouse is, as you say.
The marriage has changed hugely as her spouse has changed.

And I don't believe that it's unrelated to sexuality. Mostly with late-onset male to feminine transition it's AGP isn't it?

So a woman is lying to herself or being gaslit.

And that's before considering the children.