Are transgender/transsexual people accepted in your religion?

[Deidre]

I'm sure most Germans thought the same thing circa 1910-1920s.

Good point

 

[sayak83]

Well? Why or why not?

They are in mine. My Goddess doesn't give a damn if you're LGBT or not. It's all the same to Her and She is the merging and destruction of all qualities and dualities, anyway. She is male, female, both and neither. For a man to be a Shakta, he must embrace his own feminine aspect in the first place, making male Shaktas somewhat gender variant in a fashion to begin with. (Which is fascinating and brings up interesting questions for me as a female to male transsexual.)

I'm also a Satanist and view Satan as either feminine or androgynous.

Here is a good article from Hindu American Foundation.

HAF Policy Brief: Hinduism and Homosexuality

 

[Deidre]

I think that some religions get around the idea of bigotry by claiming that people are "living in sin." It's common to see many religious types say "Well, God accepts everyone just not their sin." So bigotry gets disguised as "following God's word" in the Abrahamic faiths, anyways.

And you can only cherry pick what you like and don't like for so long before you realize that your faith doesn't resonate with what you believe is right and wrong.

 

[Tumah]

In my community, any time you openly do something that involves transgressions, you're going to get sidelined by the community. Your nature becomes my kids' nurture and we want as many Jewish-positive influences as possible.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

Transsexualism and transgenderism is scientifically natural

Let's be realistic; it's scientifically natural in some species, but not all. Humans are not one of those species; we require surgery in order to change sexes. That doesn't mean it should be persecuted against, but it's not natural.

(And do note, transgenderism is striked through; I'm not going to delve into the labyrinths of the mind and id.)

Relative to Heathenry proper, there's nothing for or against transgenderism. I just wish people wouldn't retro-view history to fit modern ideologies and identities in an effort to validate themselves, or twist (which yes, it is) certain mythologies to align with their personal view or identity. For example, Loki taking the form of a mare and birthing Sleipnir is not an accurate or definitive representation of transgenderism; it is Loki using magic. Neither is Thor dressing up as Freyja to fool the Jotnar an example of transgenderism, it's deception in drag born of necessity rather than a complete desire to dress like the opposite sex; Thor was against the whole plan in the story.

In my eyes, the need to change things to validate oneself really only speaks for personal insecurities.

 

[LuisDantas]

I take it that you mean that transexuals are perceived as transgressors, then, @Tumah ?

 

[suncowiam]

I don't follow a religion, but I don't need any religion to suggest to me that transgenders can't be accepted in society.

If they're happy and don't cause any harm to society then so freaking what.

 

[Tumah]

I take it that you mean that transexuals are perceived as transgressors, then, @Tumah ?

There are transgressions against cross-dressing and castration. Whether someone who is mentally ill is considered is considered sinning or not by doing so, I couldn't tell you. But the same thing would apply to any prohibition. If someone needs to lets say transgress some Sabbath prohibition because of some mental illness, I still wouldn't want to be around them at the time (or my children). The more natural something becomes, the more permissive it feels.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I still wouldn't want to be around them at the time (or my children). The more natural something becomes, the more permissive it feels.

I think that's sad. I strongly disagree with the Bible, but I don't state I don't want Jews or Christians around me.

 

[Mindmaster]

I'm also a Satanist and view Satan as either feminine or androgynous.

Satan says that if you do it, you get to hell even faster.

 

[Tumah]

I think that's sad. I strongly disagree with the Bible, but I don't state I don't want Jews or Christians around me.

That's because you live in a society whose morals are based only on the interrelationship between man and his fellow. You have no objective principals to guide you, only social constructs, so everything is permissible so long as society is comfortable with it. We we live in a society that is based on the interrelationship between both man and his fellow and man and G-d. We have an objective code of principles that we have to adhere to. Our society is constructed to correlate with those principles and that means not everything is permissible and we're uncomfortable with what is not (or should be).

That doesn't mean that I am required to hate someone who does so. Certainly if its because of a mental illness, I'm required to love them. But that's a separate thing.

 

[Serpent Child]

Lord Satan is aware of the Third Sex (LGBT) and accepts them. In my religious faith Satan is the protector of homosexuals and trans people. Transgender people were considered sacred beings and were thought to being blessings, trans is the cosmology of the divine.

 

[Serpent Child]

I would agree that there is a line. There's of course a concern of people trying to transition with minimal thought, which used to be an objection of mine. But we are adapting so quickly to transgenderism (well, in fields that matter like psych and the relevant doctors) that this seems pretty unlikely. For example I knew a man who enjoyed cross dressing in high school, and used to say he wanted to transgender. Indeed it ended up being "just a phase" (not judging there btw) and last I heard he's a happy straight man who no longer cross dresses (publicly?) or wants to transition. My fear would be someone like that rushing to transition them regretting it, but I don't have any real idea of how likely that is.

Anyone know? Can someone tell me if transition is covered by any insurance or if it's out of pocket?

You know transgender does NOT = transition, right? Many transgender people never medically transition.

 

[YmirGF]

Since I am so very non-religious I had to vote other. Let it be known that all human animals are always welcome at Chez Ymir just as long as you don't frighten the roving fawns and their moms.

I currently have 3 that come by with their moms almost every day.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

There is no unifying doctrine in Paganism over whether transexuality or transgenderism is accepted or rejected. More often than not though I'd say it is accepted. The gods do have a tendency to blur or even outright destroy modern social concepts, limits & barriers.

 

[LukeS]

I'm a Mulsim I don't know the answer I'm not qualified to issue judgements. Traditionally I expect its a "no" but there are so called liberal mosques in the West. I have no personal issue with such people, but what I fear is that every latest liberal value and trend is going to be imposed by force or political sanction as widely as possible in every faith, until those faiths are "purified", and its secularism uber alles. It seems that LGBT political correctnss is being used as leverage for imperialism. If youre gay etc, I don't mind if you get married - afaik its just not a Muslim marriage, just like its not a Catholic marriage.

 

[Liu]

Suffice to say, also in my version of Satanism, us transpeople are welcome

Anyone know? Can someone tell me if transition is covered by any insurance or if it's out of pocket?

Here in Germany it's insurance covered, as long as you keep to certain guidelines (e.g. you need to get an expert's report by your therapist to get hormones and later another for each surgery, and you have to be on hormones for at least 6 months for further surgeries to get paid).
The latter point seems a bit strange to me, and also my doctors told me there are no medical grounds for it. If it was paid I would have first gotten a mastectomy (breast removal). But I'll survive waiting another half year.

I'm on hormones now since only a couple days
And I had to pay 20€ at the pharmacy for half a year's dosis, but no further costs (except for traveling costs to doctor and therapist of course). So, not everything is paid by insurance, but most. It's pretty common with a lot of medicine here that it's not paid fully but mostly by insurance.

I guess if I had private insurance (and not statutory insurance), it would probably depend on which insurance I had.

To get my name and official gender changed, I have to get two expert's reports of a different kind which are much more expensive (up to 1000€), and then go to the court, which costs as well. But I can apply for getting these costs covered as well.

In the US, it's probably very different.

Let's be realistic; it's scientifically natural in some species, but not all. Humans are not one of those species; we require surgery in order to change sexes. That doesn't mean it should be persecuted against, but it's not natural.

(And do note, transgenderism is striked through; I'm not going to delve into the labyrinths of the mind and id.)

Transgenderism is normally used as a synonym to transsexuality (and to transidentity). The terms, at least in scientific discourse, mean the same. So I'm not sure which aspect of it you are saying is not natural.

Animal species which change their sex during the course of their lives are something completely different.

Relative to Heathenry proper, there's nothing for or against transgenderism. I just wish people wouldn't retro-view history to fit modern ideologies and identities in an effort to validate themselves, or twist (which yes, it is) certain mythologies to align with their personal view or identity. For example, Loki taking the form of a mare and birthing Sleipnir is not an accurate or definitive representation of transgenderism; it is Loki using magic.

I agree that this is a different thing from transsexuality.

But I wouldn't mind if people interpret it nowadays, without claiming this to be the original meaning, in terms of transsexuality.

Also, as I understand it, Loki not only gave birth to Sleipnir, but also to three of his other children. One could argue that this has not more to do with transsexuality than Zeus "giving birth" to Athene. But still, Loki is a pretty queer character, in many senses of the word.

That's because you live in a society whose morals are based only on the interrelationship between man and his fellow. You have no objective principals to guide you, only social constructs, so everything is permissible so long as society is comfortable with it. We we live in a society that is based on the interrelationship between both man and his fellow and man and G-d. We have an objective code of principles that we have to adhere to. Our society is constructed to correlate with those principles and that means not everything is permissible and we're uncomfortable with what is not (or should be).

I can't speak for @Shadow Wolf, but I wouldn't even say that us LHPers base our morals "only on the interrelationship between man and his fellow".
Actually, some of us also base it on our relationship between ourselves and our deity. Since many of us consider ourselves to be at least partially identical to our deity, that means it could be described as amorality, but what I mean to say is, we try to get our morality from within, from what we know within to be right, instead of from what anyone else tells us.

I'm not sure whether I'd have the strength, self-knowledge and motivation to go through with my transition if I wasn't a Satanist, but through it I'm strengthened in my knowledge that it's the right thing for me to do.

 

[LuisDantas]

There are transgressions against cross-dressing and castration. Whether someone who is mentally ill is considered is considered sinning or not by doing so, I couldn't tell you. But the same thing would apply to any prohibition. If someone needs to lets say transgress some Sabbath prohibition because of some mental illness, I still wouldn't want to be around them at the time (or my children). The more natural something becomes, the more permissive it feels.

That is fine. That is also unconnected to transsexuals.

 

[LuisDantas]

I'm a Mulsim I don't know the answer I'm not qualified to issue judgements. Traditionally I expect its a "no" but there are so called liberal mosques in the West. I have no personal issue with such people, but what I fear is that every latest liberal value and trend is going to be imposed by force or political sanction as widely as possible in every faith, until those faiths are "purified", and its secularism uber alles. It seems that LGBT political correctnss is being used as leverage for imperialism. If youre gay etc, I don't mind if you get married - afaik its just not a Muslim marriage, just like its not a Catholic marriage.

What would you do if someone close to you found out that he/she is a transgender?

 

[Quintessence]

I voted other: there are no dogmas/doctrines from any of the religions I identify with dictating how people manage their interpersonal relationships.

At closest, Unitarian Universalism has a statement in their seven principles (which are not to be mistaken for dogmas/doctrines) which states honoring "the inherent worth and dignity of every person." In practice that tends to translate to universal tolerance, but not necessarily - one can recognize worth and dignity whilst still drawing lines in the ground.

Contemporary Paganism, as a countercultural movement, has been a bastion of progressivism with regards to topics like sex and sexuality. Such progressivism is hardly required to identify as a contemporary Pagan, however, and it is not some sort of dogma/doctrine of the movement.

Druidry is varied, and the order I belong to has no sort of dogma/doctrine regarding interpersonal relationships either. It's about asking questions and arriving at your own answers through experience. We're not trying to mimic historical Druidry where Druids were a caste that passed down laws and judgements.