From Our DMRE: Affirming and Celebrating LGBTQ+ Children and Youth

In the flurry of executive orders released in the early days of the new presidential administration, you may have missed the order signed on January 28, misleadingly titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” which targets the rights of transgender people. This order attempts to ban gender affirming care for all Americans under the age of 19. To learn more about all the ways this puts children, parents, medical professionals, and institutions in serious danger, I would recommend following independent journalist Erin Reed, who has been tirelessly reporting on news affecting trans people for years.

What I want to talk about is how we will respond to these kinds of threats against LGBTQ+ children and youth.

In the history of reactionary movements, we hear a common refrain: “Think of the children.” It goes as far back as propaganda campaigns from the middle ages that cast Jews, “witches,” and indigenous people as murderers of children. It was echoed in the homophobic rhetoric of the 1970s, when gay people were depicted as predatory “recruiters” who should not be allowed near children. The transphobic rhetoric of today recycles the same libelous and hateful argument, this time labeling the villains as “groomers.” In both cases, queer people have been baselessly slandered, and in both cases, queer youth have been erased from the conversation. We will not allow this erasure to happen at UUSM.

I make this commitment as your Director of Multigenerational Religious Education: I will continue to stand up for LGBTQ+ families. No matter what goes on outside of our church walls, our community will continue to be a sanctuary of acceptance and affirmation. Because contrary to the fear mongering rhetoric that queer youth must increasingly hear in our world, it is a good and sacred and beautiful thing to be a gay, lesbian, bi, trans, or queer person. It is good and sacred and beautiful for every person to live into the identity and expression that makes them feel most at home with themselves. This includes queer children and youth.

Jessica heads out to march with UUSM at Pride Parade

The theme of our RE curriculum for February is “Living Love Through the Story of Inclusion,” and throughout the month we will be highlighting stories featuring diverse characters that illustrate the importance of being inclusive of all people. The classic queer picture book Heather Has Two Mommies teaches about the importance of celebrating families of all shapes and sizes. Chrysanthemum tells the story of a little mouse who loves her unique name, until she faces bullying because of it. The Proudest Blue, written by Olympic athlete Ibtihaj Muhammad, talks about a girl who stands up for her sister in the face of Islamophobic bigotry.

These are just a few examples of the types of stories we draw on all the time in Religious Education, stories that humanize people who are too often dehumanized in our world. Stories that help us “think of the children” – not as pawns to be used in political games, but as human beings. In RE, we think of the LGBTQ+ children, the Muslim children, the immigrant children, the poor children, the disabled children, and we think about what we can do to make the world a better place for all of them.

This work starts right here in our spiritual home. In a world that can seem dominated by lies and fear, I hope you will join me in making the continual commitment that all children will be safe, respected, affirmed, and celebrated at UUSM. I’m ready to stand up for them – and I know I won’t be standing alone.

Jessica TenHave-Place
Director of Multigenerational Religious Education
(she/her/hers)