When I first began my search for answers about cross-dressing, one of my biggest fears was that I was all alone. Logic told me there had to be many others, but somehow I felt totally isolated. Who could possibly understand? Who would care? Who could help? How could I find them? Once I started looking, the good news came quickly. I was not alone! There were many resources available. They understood. They cared. They wanted to help. It took some effort to find them, but they did exist.
Later, when I started pursuing the religious aspects of cross-dressing, I oddly found myself experiencing the same feelings of being alone and without help. Once again, with some investigation, I found a wide variety of resources that could address my spiritual needs. They understood. They cared. They wanted to help. It took a bit more effort to find them, but they did exist.
The primary goal of this article is to let you know that you are not alone. There are many Christian resources available to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. There are people who understand. There are people who care. There are people who want to help you. You do have to look. You do have to reach out, but they do exist.
The secondary goal is to make finding help easier. I have been collecting links to many supporting Christian resources that people can draw upon. The following are just a few examples. The important message to understand is that regardless of your situation, help is available.
“I am a Cross-Dresser and live in a small town in West Texas. Is there any Christian church of any denomination that would have me as a member? Where could I find such a church?”
Yes! There are churches like that in West Texas and throughout the U.S. At http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-1.htm You will find links to 17 different listings containing thousands of welcoming churches.
“I am a Lesbian and a Baptist. I know that my denomination does approve of lesbians, but are there any Baptist organizations or specific Baptist churches that would be supportive? Where could I find them?”
Yes! There are organizations like that. At http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-2.htm You will find links to four Baptist organizations and many Baptist churches that are supportive of you as a lesbian. There are links to 35 organizations representing 16 denominations from Anglican to the United Church of Christ. Together they represent a home for everyone.
“Those were easy, but what about me? I’m a Gay, Black man with HIV. Don’t tell me there’s a place for someone with those three strikes!”
Yes! There is a ministry established for someone exactly like you. At http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-3.htm You will find a link to “Balm in Gilead” which is dedicated exclusively to empowering churches in the struggle against the devastation of HIV/AIDS in the Black community.
On the same site, http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-3.htm there are ministries to meet almost every conceivable need:
Ministers who are trying to understand these issues might be interested in organizations such as Bridges Across the Divide, the Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies in Religion & Ministry at Pacific School of Religion, or the Chicago Theological Seminary.
Activists who want to further the cause might look into joining groups like Gay and Lesbian Acceptance (GALA), the Interfaith Alliance or Soulforce.
Seekers who simply want to learn more might check out Ecumenical News, Grace and Lace Letter or Whosoever.
Transgender people can:
Contact other transgender Christians at http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-10.htm
Find cross-dresser support groups at http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-7.htm
Obtain professional assistance at http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-12.htm
Get help for your wives and children at http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-8.htm
In addition to those, non-spiritual informational resources, that address a variety of issues of concern to GLBT people: AIDS, Education, Human Rights, Legal issues, Published articles and books, Sexuality, Tolerance, Veteran’s rights, etc. can be found at http://members.aol.com/plantloveseeds/Links-6.htm
Whatever your situation, there are resources available to you.
You are most decidedly not alone! Just reach out …
Richard Molling is a married heterosexual cross-dresser who began seeking community at age 40 under the name Rachel Miller, which is the pen name he used to publish The Bliss of Becoming One! Integrating ‘Feminine’ Feelings into the Male Psyche Mainstreaming the Gender Community in 1996. An accomplished speaker, Molling has worked for four decades to increase understanding and acceptance of LGBT people.