Episode 671: Richelle, Transgender LDS shares her story as a faithful LDS and a transgender woman.

Richelle begins by sharing some of the observations of her childhood and how these no doubt trying experiences helped to shape her life and strengthen her personal testimony as well as develop a strong relationship with the Savior—her experience and her journey have helped her to just “trust in the Lord” seek to find joy in your life and accept that all will be made right in the end.

Richelle shares how she came to know that her long held feelings needed not be a source of shame and that embracing her gender dysphoria only fully surfaced after the unraveling of her marriage of 25 years. She talks about the peace and joy she feels being honest about her gender identity and helps us better understand how to support her and others on their unique path.

She talks about attending her local ward and regaining trust with her priesthood leaders as everyone tries to do their best to love and support her—including some very positive experiences with her relief society sisters.

Richelle talks about how some voices in society today seek to brand trans people as sexual perverts out to target their children. With deep emotion, Richelle talks about how painful that is to hear as in her sincere desire to embrace womanhood she only wants to nurture and defend children.

We conclude with reading from the Church’s web page about loving and supporting transgender Latter-day Saints—and emphasize how the Church’s web site contains none of the politically charged statements otherwise being shouted out in the public arena. Richelle encourages us to remember the second greatest commandment and to be willing to get to know the individual just as the Savior knows us individually.

Thank you, Richelle, for your courage to be on the podcast and share your story. You are a wonderful woman with a great life ahead of you!

Links:

Church's webpage on supporting transgender members: www.churchofjesuschrist.org/topics/transgender

Index of Podcasts: listenlearnandlove.org/podcasts

Ministering to LGBTQ Latter-day Saints Facebook Group

facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143

Richard Ostler Book: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints:

Deseret Book: deseretbook.com/p/listen-learn-and-love-embracing-lgbtq-latter-day-saints

Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/1462135773