A group of Southside Birmingham clergy met in April and decided to sign a letter of support for transgender children.
That letter has so far collected more than 80 signatures from clergy and church staff around Alabama.
“We want people who are transgender to know there is a large group of faith leaders who care about them,” said the Rev. Erica Cooper, pastor of Baptist Church of the Covenant, who helped launch the initiative. “I think it’s very significant.”
Puberty blockers and hormones now available for transgender youth in Alabama will become illegal on Sunday unless a federal judge blocks a new law.
Parents of four transgender minors, a physician, a child psychologist, and a pastor filed the lawsuit to try to block the law from taking effect.
U.S. District Judge Liles Burke is hearing from witnesses today on what he said will be the final day of a three-day hearing.
One of the signers of the letter is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit. The Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker, pastor of Pilgrim Church in Birmingham, testified as a witness for the plaintiffs Thursday.
Eknes-Tucker testified he had counseled parents of transgender children for about 40 years. He said those talks are mostly about religious issues. The pastor said he sometimes helps connect families with other resources, including the gender clinic at UAB. Eknes-Tucker said he has seen young people who have received care at the clinic flourish.
He testified he was concerned he could be criminally liable under the new Alabama law if the information he gives families about the clinic leads to a minor receiving puberty blockers or hormones.
The law says “no person shall engage in or cause” the prescribing or administering of the medications.
Cooper noted that while some who have been supportive of Alabama passing legislation that attempts to restrict rights of transgender children may have strong religious beliefs, it’s important to send a message there are religious supporters of transgender rights.
“Your faith is not matching up with my faith,” Cooper said of those who want to legislate transgender medical procedures.
“As clergy we want to make our voice heard,” Cooper said. “I want people to hear alterative faith voices.”
Here is the letter and the list of signatures as of May 1:
We Care – An Open Letter of Support to Transgender Children and Their Families
We understand that the recent state legislation limiting access to critically needed care and support for transgender and gender-diverse children and their families is a devastating loss for you and your families. As clergy and faith leaders in the state of Alabama, we want to express our sincere love and concern for your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. While we may not fully understand your unique experiences, many of us know what it is like to feel rejected, left out, cast aside, bullied, targeted, and denied access to civil rights. We also know the vital importance of hearing voices of love and support. That is why we want to make sure you know that we care.
We care about your physical health. While we may not fully understand the biologics or therapeutics regarding transgender medical care, as we are not specialists in this area, we support the doctors and healthcare providers who are. We also support the efforts of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ pursuit to ensure comprehensive care and support for transgender and gender-diverse children and their families in a safe clinical space.
We care about your emotional health. While we may not fully understand the psychiatric, neurological, behavioral, or mental health therapeutics regarding transgender mental health care, as we are not specialists in this area, we support the doctors and healthcare providers who are. We also support the efforts of the American Psychiatric Association’s pursuit to provide appropriate mental health services to transgender and gender-diverse children and their families in a safe clinical space.
We care about your spiritual health. As faith leaders in the State of Alabama, we recognize there are diverse faith perspectives regarding LGTBQIA+ issues, even within the same religion, denomination, and congregation. We also recognize that religious leaders, institutions, and ideologies have caused great physical, emotional, and spiritual harm to the LGTBQIA+ community. The religious voices against you are often the loudest ones. We repent for this spiritual malpractice, and we regret not raising our voices louder for you to hear our support above the clamor. We hope that you might hear our voices now.
As individual specialists in the areas of religious belief, congregational leadership, spiritual care, and theological studies, we have concluded that:
You are loved by God.
You belong in this world.
You are beautiful.
You are wonderful.
You are not alone.
Should you need a safe space to explore your faith, please know you have a home in any of our communities. Should you need prayer or encouragement, we are here. Should you simply need to know that there are people of faith who support you and those caring for you, we have signed our names and listed our congregations below.
Rev. Erica Cooper, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Terry Hamilton-Poore, First Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Dr. Samuel Hamilton-Poore, Montevallo Presbyterian Church, Montevallo, Alabama
Rev. Stephanie York Arnold, Birmingham First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Dr. Patrick Evans, Choir Director, First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Katie Gilbert, First United Methodist Church, BIrmingham, Alabama
Rev. Joe Genau, Edgewood Presbyterian Church, Homewood, Alabama
Rev. Sarah Jackson Shelton, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Dr. Sue Westall, General Presbyter, Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley
Rev. Daniel Stallings, University Baptist Church, Montevallo, Alabama
Cristin Dedmon, Minister of Children, First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Emily Freeman Penfield, Woodlawn United Methodist Church, Brimingham, AL
Katherine Mullen, Minister of Community Engagement, First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Cathy C. Hoop, Grace Presbyterian Church, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Cantor Jessica Roskin, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker, Pilgrim Church, UCC, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Dr. Timothy L. Kelley, Southside Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Jennifer Sanders, Beloved Community UCC, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Dr. David L. Barnhart, Jr., Saint Junia United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Elizabeth O’Neill, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Montgomery Alabama
Rev. Nicole Newton, First Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Joshua Noah, Open Table UCC, Mobile, Alabama
Rev. Drexel Rayford, PhD, Chaplain, UAB Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. H. Lee Lowery, Interim Rector, Holy Trinity, Auburn, Alabama
The Reverend Marc Burnette, Canterbury Episcopal Chapel, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Rev. Kelley Hudlow, The Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Sonya Y. Gravlee, Beloved Community UCC, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Judy Lee, Deacon, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Montevallo, AL
Ven. Marti Holmes, The Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Thomas Joyner, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, Auburn, Alabama
Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Dan Pharr, Christ Lutheran Church, Prattville, Alabama
Rev. Penny Ford, United Methodist Church, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Rev. Lynn Hopkins, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Montgomery, Alabama
Rev. Richard Barham, Spirit of the Cross UCC, Huntsville, Alabama
The Rev. Pamela H. Long, Church of the Good Shepherd, Iglesia de Todos Santos, Montgomery, AL
The Rev. Dr. Mark LaGory, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Mountain Brook, AL.
Dr. David B. Freeman, Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville, Alabama
The Rev. CJ Van Slyke, (retired) St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama
The Rev. Emily Collette, Birmingham Epsicopal Campus Ministries
The Rev. Katherine Harper, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Cathy George, Spirit of the Cross UCC, Huntsville, Alabama
Rev. Majadi Baruti, Udja Temple, Birmingham Alabama
Rev. Bart Grooms, retired Pastoral Counselor/Marriage and Family Therapist, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL
The Rev Dr Jose Fernandez, Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles, Hoover, AL
Rev. Fisher Humphreys, member, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Alabama
The Rev. Mary Bea Sullivan, Episcopal Church, Birmingham, AL
Dr. R LaMon Brown, retired American Baptist Missionary, Baptist Church of the Covenant
Rev. Peggy Sanderford Ponder, Hospital Chaplain, Pastoral Psychotherapist, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Katy Smith, Episcopal Church, Birmingham, AL
The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Bridges, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Rev. Henry Gibson, United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL
Eric Clark, Minister of Community Engagement, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Lindsey Brady, Chaplain, Hospice of West Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Associate Pastor, Andy Yarnell, Gadsden FUMC and Mosaic, Gadsden, AL
Loraine Locke, Director, Birmingham Shambhala Meditation Center, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Steve M. Ingram, Hospital Chaplain, Birmingham AL
Rev. Lyndsay Cogdill Clark, Baptist Church of the Covenant (member) Birmingham, AL
Rev. Ann Carol Mann, Baptist Church of the Covenant (member) Birmingham, AL
Reggie Holder, Director of Growing Ministries, Highlands United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Helene H. Loper, God’s House, Tuscaloosa, AL
Rev. Elizabeth Cole Goodrich, Member at Large, Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley
Rev. Tammy H. Jackson, Anniston First United Methodist Church, Anniston, AL
Rev. Dr. Steve West, Senior Pastor, Jacksonville First United Methodist Church, Jacksonville, AL
Rev. Dr. Sam Hayes, Senior Pastor, Gadsden First United Methodist Church, Gadsden, AL
Rev. Kyle Bryan, Associate Pastor, Anniston First United Methodist Church, Anniston, AL
Rev. Herb Robertson, Hospital Chaplain, Birmingham AL
Rev. Carolyn Foster, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Greater Birmingham Ministries, Birmingham AL
Rev. Michael Malcom, Beloved Community UCC & the People’s Justice Council, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Tonny Algood, United Methodist Inner City Mission, Mobile
Rev. Julie Conrady, Unitarian Universalist Church, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Chris Rothbauer, Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Auburn, AL
Rev. Ruth Vann Lillian, Unitarian Universalist Fellowships of Emerald Coast & Bay County, FL
Rev. Dollie Howell Pankey, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church & Greater Birmingham Ministries
Rev. Deacon Dr. Cindy Roff, Canterbury Episcopal Church, Tuscaloosa, AL
Rev. Shane Isner, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Montgomery, AL
Rev. Alice Syltie, Huntsville AL
Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, Fl
Rev. Jaimie Dingus, Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville, AL
Rev. Kim Wood, Conference Minister for the UCC Southeast Conference, Huntsville, AL
Dr. Dan Lawhon, Organist-Choirmaster, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL
Rev. Brandon Hudson, Pastor, Crosscreek Baptist Church, Pelham, AL
Rev. Dixie Bearden Ford, Associate Pastor, Crosscreek Baptist Church, Pelham, AL
Chris Davis, Facilitator, Cahaba River Sangha, Birmingham, AL