Trans Women of Color Built the Church

On February 27th the United Methodist Church voted to affirm the “Traditional Plan.” As such Jerry Kulah, of Gbarnga School of Theology in Liberia said

We must support the traditional plan, because it is the biblical plan.

And. I. Lost. It.

I was filled with tears to hear this African man say that my life, my marriage and my identity was not just invalid, but it was damnable, and anti-Christ. When I read the Bible, I understand it as an inherently queer book, and it breaks my heart that men such as Kulah are leading others down a dark road of oppression and injustice. It saddens me even more when I hear Americans clap in support and say the same things such as

Whoever teaches one of these should have a millstone tied around his neck and thrown in a lake.

This was said by a white woman at the conference as well.

In light of all of this there has been a new celebration of African churches by the right, and the progressives highlighting that colonialism has been a downfall of African culture on the front of LGBTQ inclusion. Both have valid points, for the conservative churches, they have spent billions of dollars funding African churches, schools, theology centers, and supporting political conservatives, they should celebrate because their donation has paid off. But the progressives have a point as well, without the funding of these right wing churches what would have developed on the continent? Further, history shows us…