Faith & Trans: Two things That Normally Don't Go Together

Since February I have mainly taken sort of a sabbatical from attending Spring Creek UCC. Mind you, there is nothing wrong with the church. I just figured the congregation would be both racially mixed and younger to appeal  to the LGBT community. Neither has happened in the time there. I know there is a small LGBT posse here in the Rockford area, and yes there are a good number of folks of color here, too. There are a good number of people  making a sort-of new start from Chicago. Some of my taxi passengers have started referring to the Forest City as "Little Chicago". I can agree on that presumption. I still tell those folks that my first glimpse of this town reminded me of Jackson,MS, where my aunt, uncle & cousin call home. Too many damn roads filled with potholes, dilapidated buildings and hopeless dispair. And yours truly has called it home for nearly 18 years. Where the fuck could I relocate to at my age? Texas? California? Back to Milwaukee, where it seems times have gotten worse for Black Americans?  It seems life is quite good in the Lone Star State. Here I am, stuck in the only place that I am  familiar  with: the Midwest. CRAP!!!

I am  getting off my topic on this blog, the first in sometime that's not on facebook. Can a soon-to-be  middle-aged  transwoman of color still find spiritual happiness? I'm guessing it all depends on who you are and the crowd  you are following.  Now, there's this reverend now residing in Texas I've  heard about. Carmarion D. Anderson is her name. I saw her on a YouTube video some time ago. She  was good telling her brief sermon. I couldn't  believe she, too was a transwoman  of  color. Floored me. It's nice to know we're  covered in that category. Alas, it's  been two years since I transitioned full-time, yet like life itself, you never stop learning about being the person you've  become.  The goal after that is how to improve yourself from the moment you first time you saw yourself as another person in the mirror to thoroughly embracing  yourself as the new identity.  I can say it will only be a challenge if you allow it. That's where having a backbone comes in handy. I've been fortunate not to have so many negative derogatory comments or physical attacks toward me. My plus-sized body gives off the resumption that if you try to piss  me off, I could beat the shit out of you. In the past calendar year driving a bloody cab, God's been watching over me.

Now, to the present. The past month I've met some interesting folks driving around this town. The latest one is named Rita, a 29-year old who like me has a gig doing the graveyard shift. She just happens to work at the Chrysler  plant in nearby Belvidere.  Here's where it gets interesting: I  mention to her about the recent news about those anti-LGBT  bills in Mississippi  and in North  Carolina.  She mentioned to me that's  not right what those states  are doing. During this conversation, Rita mentions the teachings from her pastor. This conversation eventually resulted in telling her about me being trans. She didn't  know she was talking to one all that time. She thought I was quite believable  as a girl. Rita then  added on about knowing  some LGBTs as her friends and singing in the church choir...something I  do occasionally  miss. Now, if her church cared more about me as a woman who sings with a tenor/baritone voice than being trans, we might have something  here. The choir at Spring Creek rarely does any songs that make you clap, let alone a ton of spirituals from the hymnals. The church Rita attends is more culturally mixed, meaning it could be interesting  to visit. One of the first  churches I was invited to in the Rockford  area back in 1999 was also a mixed church, yet a bit toward the Pentacostal side.  Rita says they care more about who I  am, not what. This could be the spiritual pick-me-up I need.  Lord knows I  could use some extra friends!