Current:Home > ScamsLGBTQ advocates say Mormon church’s new transgender policies marginalize trans members -Prime Capital Blueprint
LGBTQ advocates say Mormon church’s new transgender policies marginalize trans members
NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-07 21:01:26
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has disheartened LGBTQ+ activists after issuing a slew of new policies this week that would significantly restrict the role of its transgender members.
The guidelines were released Monday as part of updates to the General Handbook of the denomination known widely as the Mormon church. Its new rules, in addition to expanding on an existing rule that prevents transgender people from being baptized, also prohibit transgender people from working with children or serving as priests or teachers.
The church’s handbook states that those “who transition away from their biological sex at birth are welcome to attend sacrament meetings” and participate in “many other ways”. It also encourages these individuals and their families to confer with local leaders regarding their church participation. The new guidelines, however, significantly limit such participation.
The policy now states that members who have transitioned in any way — whether that transition is social, medical or surgical — cannot stay at youth camps overnight and may only use single-occupancy restrooms at church meetinghouses. Alternatively, a “trusted person” must be stationed outside the restroom to keep others from entering when a transgender person uses a restroom that aligns with their personal gender identity.
The latest edition of the General Handbook while defining and reaffirming gender as one’s biological sex at birth, also states that the faith does not “take a position on the causes of” gender dysphoria.
Previously, the interpretation of the church’s policies on this matter were left open to local congregations, their bishops and lay leaders. These new guidelines clarify most of those gray areas.
A spokesperson for the denomination declined comment Friday.
LGBTQ+ advocates within the faith say these stringent guidelines further marginalize transgender people who already feel like outsiders in church. Laurie Lee Hall, a transgender woman who was excommunicated in 2017 after she transitioned, said the new guidelines make it challenging for people like her to keep the faith.
“The door seems shut and bolted,” she said Friday.
Hall, who lives near Louisville, Kentucky, said she has been participating in a local Mormon church that has been welcoming and inclusive by even allowing her to participate in classes and activities with women.
“While I’ve had some separation from the church in terms of my membership and beliefs, I’ve enjoyed at least a social connection with the women at church,” Hall said. “Now, none of that is going to be possible.”
The new guidelines would require her to attend classes with men.
“I’d attend church in dress, shoes and makeup and be required to site with a bunch of men wearing suits,” Hall said. “It would put a target on me as someone who is severely off-script.”
What offends Hall more than that is the church’s policy that transgender people won’t be allowed to work with children or youth, or that they need chaperones to use a bathroom of their choice.
“It implies that a trans member is somehow a danger to others,” she said. “It’s dehumanizing and far too toxic to handle for members who are still in the process of reconciling their gender identity with their faith.”
The new guidelines surfaced even as the denomination, over the past decade-plus, has tried to stake out a more compassionate approach on LGBTQ+ issues while reaffirming its doctrinal opposition to intimacy between people in same-sex relationships. The one detour from that path was in 2015 when the church issued rules that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and that labeled same-sex couples as sinners eligible for expulsion. Those were repealed in 2019.
Matthew Bowman, who is the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California, said the new transgender guidelines are “unsurprising” and have been a long time coming.
“This has been a real struggle for members for a long time since the 1970s and 1980s when the church took a conservative stance on homosexuality,” he said. “Those members are accustomed to the church being unwilling to accommodate and being reluctant to adapt. But, having it spelled out like this is painful.”
Hall says she still hopes the church will change direction as it did when it rescinded a ban on ordination of African Americans. She also worries that if this trajectory of exclusion continues, more people could leave the faith.
“It’s going to be a while before a legitimate social policy change occurs in the church,” she said. “If that continues, there is going to be generational loss because young people are not going to accept these draconian policies. All of this is completely avoidable if only the church can simply say we love you and we’ll find ways to include you.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
veryGood! (69166)
Related
- Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
- The burial site of the people Andrew Jackson enslaved was lost. The Hermitage says it is found
- Beyoncé's BeyGood charity donates $100K to Houston law center amid Jay
- Fewer U.S. grandparents are taking care of grandchildren, according to new data
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Amazon's Thank My Driver feature returns: How to give a free $5 tip after delivery
- Turning dusty attic treasures into cash can yield millions for some and disappointment for others
- Gen Z is 'doom spending' its way through the holidays. What does that mean?
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Albertsons gives up on Kroger merger and sues the grocery chain for failing to secure deal
Ranking
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- 'Maria' review: Angelina Jolie sings but Maria Callas biopic doesn't soar
- Secretary of State Blinken is returning to the Mideast in his latest diplomatic foray
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Mystery drones are swarming New Jersey skies, but can you shoot them down?
- Netizens raise privacy concerns over Acra's Bizfile search function revealing citizens' IC numbers
- She grew up in an Arizona church community. Now, she claims it was actually a religious cult.
Recommendation
Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
Secretary of State Blinken is returning to the Mideast in his latest diplomatic foray
Beyoncé will perform halftime during NFL Christmas Day Game: Here's what to know
'Maria' review: Angelina Jolie sings but Maria Callas biopic doesn't soar
Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
'Mary': How to stream, what biblical experts think about Netflix's new coming
GM to retreat from robotaxis and stop funding its Cruise autonomous vehicle unit
Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details