Dear Trans* Friends

Dear Trans* Friends,

I mean that: you are dear. As in, beloved.

Yesterday, after a day of some battling over a certain Trans* woman – I’ll call her Caitlyn, because that’s who she is – I wrote a message for you.

I wanted you to know that to me, and many others, and especially to the God I worship, you are not abominable. You are not broken or crazy; you are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, as you are, right now. You are beautiful. You are Image Bearers who each, in your own unique way, in keeping with all humanity, Image Him in a way no one else ever has or ever will. You are stunning.

Whether you’re in transition or not; whether you’re struggling to find yourself and own your identity or not; whether you ever intend to “transition” or are perfectly content to be just as you are right now; you are Fearfully and Wonderfully made.

Today, I was graciously alerted by some very patient Trans* friends calling your bodies broken or calling your – excuse me, for lack of a better word – “condition” a consequence of sin is something of an insult.

Which is odd, because I don’t think there’s anything remotely sinful about you.

But, as a cisgender hetero Christian woman who is genuinely trying to love you well and hear you fully, I’m still learning to think outside the binary. And I often get it wrong.

I hope you’ll be gracious and patient with me and the many other Christ-followers who are trying our best to learn from you and love you and welcome you and learn a new language about gender and identity.

But if you hear nothing else, let me reiterate:

You are beautiful.

Stunning Image bearers of the Most High God who does not make mistakes.

You are not an abomination.

You weren’t born wrong.

It’s we who are still stunted in our ignorance – our genuine lack of understanding – who are learning that bodies and spirits come in exactly as many different shapes, sizes, and expressions as there are humans.