Trans-Visibility Day – Submit Your Love Notes

Blessings to each of you,

I am writing with an urgent request.  

I know it comes as no surprise to you that we are living in a perilous time for LGBTQ persons across the nation. Some churches and synagogues are being attacked and vandalized for their efforts to hold safe space for LGTBQ adults and youth. 

And since the current legislative session began less than three months ago, the Human Rights Campaign is already tracking 340 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been introduced in statehouses across the country. 150 of those would specifically restrict the rights of transgender people, the highest number of bills targeting transgender people in a single year to date.

Strategizing responses, that go beyond reaction and counter-action, will take time, but it will be one of the many issues we will continue to give attention to in coming days.It also occurs to us as disheartening as this is for us, it is disheartening and frightening for LGBTQ families in ways that cannot be compared, and our trans youth, are under an aggressive attack that is rapidly gaining steam. The request: March 31st is National Trans-visibility Day and we would like to take the day to shower trans-youth with messages of love, reminding them:

• They are not alone. 
• We won’t stop fighting for their rights until they have them. 
• We will not let hate win. 
• There are more of us supporting them than those who stand against them. 
• God loves them and so do we. 

I am inviting you to write a love note to trans youth (200 words or less) expressing your support, and invite your churches to do the same. Although notes can continue to come in after March 31st, we need a minimum of 48 love notes to ensure we can post at least one love note every 30 minutes for the entire day. The notes will have prominent placement on our landing page and our social media accounts will direct people there.

The Rev. Traci Blackmon (she/her)
Associate General Minister, Justice & Local Church Ministries