In from the Wilderness Sherman: She-R-Man

The stories of transgender people reach back to the beginnings of recorded history. At this particular point in time the psychiatric, medical, and secular worlds are beginning to appreciate the authenticity of Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual, and Queer people. Sadly, many Christian churches and denominations continue to oppress and vilify the LGTBQ community. This is the story of a transgender man who has been an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church since 1984 and has quietly served his congregations for twenty-eight years before sharing his story and spiritual journey with his congregation, denomination, and the world. This is the story of a Transgender man, a Christian, an ordained minister, a loving husband and father-a human being. It is his challenge to his denomination and to all Christians and spiritual seekers to consider the truth of gender identity and sexual orientation as God given gifts, to be celebrated and embraced among all other gifts.

The Rev. David Weekley is an ordained United Methodist clergy. He received his BA in Psychology from Cleveland State University in 1976 and entered seminary at Boston University School of Theology, where he earned an MDiv in 1982. He has served churches in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference for twenty-eight years.

Virginia Ramey Mollenkott is Professor Emeritus of English at the William Paterson University of New Jersey and the author of thirteen books, including Omnigender: A Trans-Religious Approach (Pilgrim, 2001), which won a Lambda Literary Award in 2002. She lives in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, and can be reached through her website, www.virginiamollenkott.com.