Shoulder to Shoulder: Supporting Our Trans Siblings as We Move Forward Together

In the aftermath of the election, many folks are feeling a wide range of feelings about the incoming administration. Within the community at Temple Sinai, we’ve heard specifically from folks who feel deep concern for those who will be most vulnerable under the incoming administration, specifically those who identify as trans.

The term “trans” or “transgender” is an umbrella term used to describe individuals whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth, as well as for those individuals who “who transcend conventional expectations of gender identity or expression--such groups include, but are not limited to, people who identify as transsexual, genderqueer, gender variant, gender diverse, and androgynous” (https://pflag.org/glossary/). The Human Rights Campaign estimates that there are 1.6 million people (ages 13+) who identify as transgender in the United States, and this is nothing new. Sumerian sources dating between 5000 and 3000 BCE describe androgynous or trans priests, and gender diversity has been documented in cultures across the globe for millennia since.

According to translegislation.com, there are 81 anti-trans bills being considered at the federal level targeting trans people and 45 bills have already passed this year. This year alone, a whopping 665 anti-trans bills have been proposed,  and 39.4% of transgender youth live in states that have passed bans on gender-affirming care. As Judaism centers and uplifts the dignity of all living beings, it makes sense to feel concern, distress, fear, anger, and frustration when we see our human siblings coming under attack for being who they are. In the coming weeks, we’ll be uplifting members of the Temple Sinai community who want to share their stories, selves, and experiences with us. We hope that you will join us Friday, Nov. 22nd for a special shabbat service featuring many of these voices. We also want to remind you that the JCS counseling center is here for you as a resource to help you cope with this period of transition and uncertainty. Please call 401-331-1244 to learn more about the counseling center or schedule an appointment, or reach out to Rabbi Shore by emailing [email protected].

There are so many wonderful resources for learning more about LGBTQ+ community and how we can best show up in this moment. Here are just a few to get you started:​

• Keshet is a national Jewish organization that works for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and their families in Jewish life.
• Thundermist Trans Access Center is a group of medical, behavioral health, and allied service professionals in Rhode Island working to improve access to culturally and clinically competent healthcare for the trans community
• Human Rights Campaign is a national organization that works to educate the public about the transgender community and provides resources for transgender and non-binary people to live their fullest lives.
• Queer RI is a collaborative hub of LGBTQ+ resources in the state of Rhode Island and beyond.
• PFLAG is a national organization that works to create a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. They have a great glossary of terms you may have heard but not understood or wanted to learn more about.