Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Ivy League Protects Rights of Transgender Persons


I have a lot of ties to Yale. I attended the Yale School of Public Health in the late seventies and I met my spouse there. When I began to explore my call to ministry, I was granted a research fellowship there. Last semester, I was a visiting professor there.

So, I felt very proud to read this morning that the Yale Corporation had voted to add an anti-discrimination clause against gender identity and expression into its by-laws. Since 2002, every Ivy League School has done so; so have at least 75 other collleges. There is a list of schools banning gender discrimination at www.gpac.org/genius

In all of my sexuality work, I find people least understanding of people who express gender variance in their identity or public expression. Only the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ have ordained openly transgendered people to the clergy, although other denominations have had clergy who have transitioned.

We are a long way to full inclusion of transgendered people in church -- or in society. Let's pray that the Ivy's will lead the way.

2 comments:

Reverend Dona Quixote said...

Hi there! Welcome to Revgalblogpals from someone who shares your interest in the intersection between sexuality and spirituality.

By the way, my denomination, Metropolitan Community Churches, has been ordaining transgendered persons almost since its inception.

Right on regarding your comments on Rep Foley!

Unknown said...

Hi welcome to revgalblogpals.
Thank you for posting this about the Universitys that are protecting rights of transgender persons.

Would that all be treated this way.