Trans Inclusion in Congregations for UU Religious Professionals
The Transforming Hearts Collective is excited to announce an opportunity for Unitarian Universalist religious professionals to experience our ground-breaking course on transgender inclusion in congregations, with role-specific resources!
We have partnered with the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA), the Association of UU Music Ministries (AUUMM), and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA) to create cohorts of religious educators going through the course together, from January to March 2020.
Developed by Rev. Mykal Slack and Zr. Alex Kapitan, this six-session online course supports participants in taking their knowledge and skills to the next level to support congregations in becoming fully inclusive and affirming of trans/non-binary people. Going far beyond a “trans 101,” the course provides a deeply intersectional understanding of trans identity, experience, and spirituality; explores the role of culture in trans exclusion; and provides tools for faith-grounded culture shift that moves the margins to the center.
Benefits of Enrolling
AUUMM, LREDA, and UUMA members who register will receive:
Full access to the online course (lectures, resources, and discussion board)
Placement in a small discussion group of fellow music directors, religious educators, or ministers that will meet virtually three times (once per month)
Tailored role-specific supplemental resources
Access to live sessions with Mykal and Alex open only to fellow cohort members taking the course
In addition, LREDA members will receive credit for a 6-hour Learning Experience for credentialing and UUMA members will receive 6 hours of AR/AO/MC continuing education credit.
Details
Registration will close December 1, at which point registrants will be placed in small groups. The course will run from January through March, with small groups meeting once per month to discuss two sessions each time. Each session consists of a 45- to 60-minute pre-recorded lecture, supplemental resources, and reflection questions (get full course details). Participants will watch the lectures on their own whenever they want and then meet up virtually with their small group for discussion.
The course costs $125 per person. If enough people from each cohort sign up, a discount of 20% ($100 per person) will be unlocked. Generous full and partial scholarships are available (fill out the registration form to request a scholarship).
If you are a UUMA, LREDA, or AUUMM member, sign up now:
Why It Matters
Unitarian Universalism is failing trans people. In January 2019, TRUUsT, the organization of UU trans religious professionals, released a report that showed that almost three-quarters of trans/non-binary UUs do not feel as though their congregation is completely inclusive of them as trans people, and almost half report regularly experiencing trans-related marginalization in UU spaces.
Only about half of trans UUs who have a UU minister feel comfortable going to that person for pastoral care. Resources for creating trans-sensitive religious education programs for children and youth have lagged behind the ever-increasing need. Religious professionals play a key role in helping congregations and the UU movement as a whole become the home that it professes and strives to be for LGBTQ people of all ages, races, classes, and abilities. Continuing education on this topic is essential.
Questions?
We have answers: Contact us!
