To Be Trans* is Divine

Photo by Levi Saunders on Unsplash

One of the biggest obstacles to those within the trans* community is the objection of people of faith within their lives. Yet, as a theologian, I find the claims of those who reject LGBTQIA+ people, to put it bluntly, absurd.

Dating all the way back to the time the Old Testament, or Torah, was compiled there was a deep understanding within the Jewish community of multiple genders. Classical Jewish texts actually recognized within the community, within humanity there were six genders.

• Zachar- That is derived from the Jewish word for sword, and obviously a phallic reference that is translated into English most easily as male.
• Nekevah- A term that is derived from crevice, and references the vaginal opening, classically translated as female in English.
• Androgynos-A person who has both “male” and “female” sexual characteristics. 149 references in Mishna and Talmud (1st-8th Centuries CE); 350 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes (2nd -16th Centuries CE).
• Tumtum- A person whose sexual characteristics are indeterminate or obscured. 181 references in Mishna and Talmud; 335 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes.
• Ay’lonit- A person who is identified as “female” at birth but develops “male” characteristics. 80 references in Mishna and Talmud; 40 in classical midrash and Jewish law…