Shows
Found in TranslationWhy is Peter Called Satan by Jesus? – Matthew 16-18 with Avery ArdenWhy is Jesus so reactive to his students' difficulty with understanding his vocation? He seems grumpy at times.How does Jesus plan to escalate his confrontation with the Roman Empire and their local enablers?How is Jesus' strong words against harming children a fierce rebuke to queerphobic parents?and more!Our guest cohost is Avery Arden (they/zir). Avery is a genderqueer autistic minister in Atlanta whose work proclaims the holiness and agency of trans and disabled people. Drawing from both Catholic and Reform traditions, their theology is incarnational, Trinitarian, and rooted in breaking binaries. And...2025-06-201h 16
Blessed Are the Binary BreakersA Queer Easter Vigil: resurrection after religious traumaI offer up some reflections moving from Jesus's path to the cross into those twilit hours before he rose. I interweave my own story of deep trauma and hope of healing on the way. After church hurt and religious trauma, how do we rise to new spiritual life?Content warning: discussions of religious trauma and queerphobia; brief, non-specific suicide mention.Click here for an episode transcript.Click here for the article mentioned in the episode (cw anti-trans violence).Taize music: "Within Our Darkest Night," performed by UUSantaMonica.2025-04-1922 min
Blessed Are the Binary BreakersQueer Theology & Embodiment — cross-posted from The Word in Black & RedAvery and Micah offer a conversational primer in queer theology — from its origins in queer theory, to distinctions between queer and simply affirming theologies, to fabulously queer passages from scripture.
This episode was originally published on The Word in Black and Red, a podcast moving chapter by chapter through the Bible with co-hosts offering perspectives informed by anarcho-communism, queerness, disability, class, and more.
Find the podcast, its discord, and more here: https://linktr.ee/twibar
Check out the Llama Pack's Facebook here (Micah's online faith community for people wary of church.)
___...2024-09-301h 16
Read to Write Kidlit PodcastS2 E1: Spooky Settings with Wendy ParrisWe are so excited to kick off Season 2 with you all. Our first guest this season is Wendy Parris-author of two spooky middle grade novels. Today we focused on her latest release, Stage Fright.Further down in the description you can read more about the book, where to buy your own copy, a writing challenge, and what we are doing next.You can listen to the podcast above or on Apple Podcasts. We also have transcripts available if listening is not for you. Note: Transcripts on Substack are only available in the web version, not...2024-09-3032 min
The Word in Black and Red0.10.2 | Disability Liberation Theology in the BibleJoin Micah, Avery Arden from the Blessed are the Binary Breakers podcast, and Lauren Sommer from the Autistic Liberation Theology Podcast for part two of their discussion on Disability Liberation Theology. How does disability theology help us read the Bible? What does it mean to be embodied beings as Christians? And how can we live into our disabilities to better understand how God loves us? Learn some answers to these questions and more in the latest episode of The Word in Black and Red!https://www.blessedarethebinarybreakers.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us...2024-09-3045 minThe Word in Black and Red0.10.1 | Disability Liberation Theology as Philosophy and TheologyJoin Micah, Avery Arden from the Blessed are the Binary Breakers podcast, and Lauren Sommer from the Autistic Liberation Theology Podcast for part one of their discussion on Disability Liberation Theology. What is disability? How does disability affect all of us? And how does theology benefit from hearing from a disability perspective? Learn some answers to these questions and more in the latest episode of The Word in Black and Red!https://www.blessedarethebinarybreakers.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/autistic-liberation-theologyhttps://linktr.ee/twibar Hosted on...2024-09-2357 minThe Word in Black and Red0.9 | Queer Theology & Embodiment w/ Avery ArdenJoin Micah and Avery Arden from Blessed are the Binary Breakers as they discuss Queer Liberation Theology. What does “queer theology” mean? Is all Christian theology a form of queer theology? And why do we insist on seeing everything through a lens that queers a text so often used to abuse queer people? Find out answers to these questions and more on the latest episode of The Word in Black and Red!https://www.blessedarethebinarybreakers.com/https://linktr.ee/twibar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-09-161h 14Blessed Are the Binary BreakersImagining Futures into Being with AutScapeFirst Laura Sommer and then Rowan share their experiences at AutScape, an annual meeting of autistic folk of all ages in England. Both discuss how AutScape has given them glimpses of what it would be like to live in a world where autistic culture is celebrated, diverse communication styles and sensory needs are accommodated, and special interests received with joy.
Be sure to check out Laura's Autistic Liberation Theology podcast for a companion episode that centers around this question: how can various marginalized groups resist the world's assumptions that we have no place in any positive future — be it...2024-09-0135 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersHonest to God: From the spotlight, to the pulpit, to the wildernessJohn Hamilton is a non-theist pastor whose lifelong search for transcendence has taken him from altar boy to rock-and-roll musician, from preaching with certainty into embracing the unknowable nature of God. In this episode, John and I discuss his upcoming memoir, Honest to God, which comes out September 15. Get book info at Wildhouse Publishing here.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Content warning: alcohol & addiction (from 19:00-24:35).
Talking Points:
(0:00) Introducing John Hamilton’s memoir Honest to God
(5:00) The inspiration and publication process
(11:00) Reaching ego death through transcendence; transcendence in Catholic worship
(16:13) Finding tr...2024-07-3052 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersHoly Pride in disabled experiences and insightsHow can we use this last week of Disability Pride Month to celebrate the unique insights into human and divine nature that disability can bring? For starters, we can learn from the wisdom of disabled activists and theologians, which is what you'll find in this episode.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Talking Points:
(0:00) Intro + Eli Clare on intersectional pride
(5:35) Pastor Lamar Hardwick: ableism = the fear of being human
(9:10) Letiah Fraser: our fragile, mortal bodies are where we meet God
(12:15) Rabbi Julia Watts Belser + Laura Sommer: disabled bodies' unique insights into the divine
(22:00) John...2024-07-2329 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersKate Davoli is a Polyamorous PresbyterianIn 2017, Kate Davoli (they/them, MDiv) was dismissed from the ordination process for being polyamorous. In spite of this heartache, they have remained steadfastly part of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Listen — or read along in the transcript — as Kate recalls the events leading up to & following their dismissal; ponders what we learn about God through polyamorous people's lives & callings; and balances the heartache of being denied ordination with the queer gift of how their liminal status facilitates ministry to church-hurt people.
Talking Points:
(0:00) Intro: as Pride month ends and the PC(USA)’s General Assemb...2024-06-241h 12The Word in Black and Red1.33.1 | Genesis 37 | Joseph's Dreams & Princess DressesJoin Micah, Josiah, Avery, and Mike Shipley as they explore Genesis 37. How queer is Joseph? How does Joseph's queerness elucidate a liberating reading of this text of terror? And how many different interpretations of Joseph can we squeeze into one episode? Find out on this episode of The Word in Black and Red!Josiah's podcast is Pulp! and can be found wherever good podcast can be found or on Instagram as @pulp_podcast. Avery Arden's website is https://www.blessedarethebinarybreakers.com/2024-02-2653 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersAsh Wednesday, Saint Valentine & Amatonormativity, Isaiah 6Listen or read along in the episode transcript for two reflections kicking off the Lenten season:
Ash Wednesday coincides with Valentine's Day this year — what can Ash Wednesday + the story of Saint Valentine teach us about facing our own mortality and resisting the pressure to put romantic love on a pedestal?
Next, let's connect the glowing coal touched to the prophet's lips in Isaiah 6 to the ashes we wear on our foreheads today. Why are physical signs of spiritual truths important? How does acknowledging our limitations open us to divine blessing?
Announcement: The Bl...2024-02-1411 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersPoems for Palestine — Christmas joy must birth solidarityListen to — or read along in the episode transcript — Jewish, Christian, and Muslim poems by Palestinians and their supporters. Poetry empowers us to imagine liberation that we can then work towards, together.
Some pieces explore the Nativity story through this lens: Christmas joy must break bread with pain, birthing solidarity with all oppressed peoples.
Talking Points:
(0:00) Ross Gay on mixing pain and joy to birth solidarity; poetry as resistance
(7:11) Aurora Levins Morales on the history of antisemitism + envisioning solidarity & interdependence in “Red Sea”
(12:30) Najah Hussein Musa dispelling anti-Palestinian myths in “Bethlehem”
(14:42) Avery Arden — “Christ is Barred from B...2023-12-2235 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersEmma Cieslik's Queer and Catholic Oral History ProjectI sit down with public historian Emma Cieslik (she/her) to hear all about her Queer and Catholic Oral History Project, supported by the Pacific School of Religion.
For Emma, the word catholic is truly "universal" — she's interviewed Roman Catholics and folk Catholics, ex-Catholics and "it's complicated" Catholics, queer religious and lay folk. In documenting these diverse perspectives, Emma is preserving the beautiful breadth of queer Catholic stories and gifts so that no one can claim they don't exist.
Click here to view the project's webpage. For links to other articles and projects Emma mentions in her...2023-11-3053 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersFrom rejection to radical welcome: Isaiah 56 through a trans lensIsaiah 56:1-8 shares God's message of not only tolerance but radical welcome for the ultimate Others of the biblical world: eunuchs. How did Isaiah 56's author come to understand Divine affirmation for this denigrated group, when Deuteronomy 23's author had offered only rejection? And why does this scripture resonate deeply with many transgender persons of faith today?
Click here for an episode transcript.
For my Isaiah 56 translations notes, click here.
For other thoughts and resources on Isaiah 56 and biblical eunuchs, scroll down to "Better Than Sons or Daughters" on this webpage.
...2023-09-3026 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersEmbodying Authenticity with Jayne X Praxis: Sex, Sigils, & Sacred ClowningJayne X Praxis (she/they) is many things — she’s Buddhist and a tantric witch; she’s an ordained minister and a Satanist; she’s a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence and a licensed therapist — but above all, Jayne is forever becoming more and more their authentic self, and they invite you to do the same through curiosity, humor, and embodied self-exploration.Content Warning: swearing and sex talk; religious trauma; mentions of childhood sexual trauma.Click here for the episode transcript.Talking Points:(0:00) Introducing Jayne(2:05) Growing up with a conservative minister father, anti-sex views; com...2023-08-311h 08Blessed Are the Binary BreakersOur Pride is Not a Sin — A Queer & Disabled Christian LensJune was Queer Pride Month, July is Disability Pride Month, and that means it's the prime time of year for certain people to remind us that "pride is a sin, didn't you know?" So I called up my dear friend Laura, a fellow disabled trans Christian, to discuss how the kind of pride that marginalized communities use as an antidote to shame is not sinful, but indeed essential in our pursuit of justice and abundant life for all!
Listen as Laura and I — interspersed with excerpts from Eli Clare's 1999 text Exile and Pride — contrast marginalized pride with nati...2023-07-1755 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersQueer Sermon on Matthew 25's Queer Christ, the Outcast KingMatthew 25:31-46 is sometimes misused to preach hellfire & brimstone, but its focus is on compassion & community, mutual aid in the here & now.
In this sermon, minister Avery Arden explores how the Divine identification with the world's outcasts has empowered disenfranchised Christians to envision Christ as Black, disabled, gay, trans, and more.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Talking Points:
(0:00) Invitation to sign up for daily text prayers for July's Disability Pride Month; introduction to the sermon
(4:00) Reading the Matthew 25 text
(7:00) It's not about threatening or bribing us into good works; establishing this...2023-06-3029 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersStopping Cop City: Água's StoryÁgua (they/them) shares the story of their lifelong relationship with Weelaunee Forest, whose leaves form the second half of the lungs that begin in Água's own body. After discussing the Stop Cop City movement's past and present, Água guides us through abolishing the cop in our own head; recognizing the interconnectedness and sacredness of all bodies; and breaking down binaries of "us" versus "them."
Check out Água's own podcast, The Somatic Scribing Podcast, here or wherever you get podcasts.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Click here for information about the call to gathe...2023-05-1254 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersStopping Cop City: Shining Oak's StoryFor Shining Oak (she/her), activism and queerness have been catalysts for reconnecting to her Jewish faith. Learn about Shining Oak's experiences with the movement to Stop Cop City, from organizing a kid-friendly event for a 2021 Week of Action to attending a powerful Shabbat service in Atlanta's Weelaunee Forest.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Find out about the new, nonviolence-focused Stop Cop City movement space here.
Consider donating to the Atlanta Solidarity fund here.
Talking Points:
(0:00) A new nonviolent movement space; introducing Shining Oak — queer Jewish forest defender...2023-05-0443 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersStopping Cop City: Tov's StoryLearn about the Movement to Defend Atlanta's Forest through the stories of forest defenders for whom queerness and faith intertwine with activism. In this episode, Tov shares the dream that drew them to March's Week of Action, discusses Weelaunee's history and the environmental threat Cop City poses, and uplifts the power of humor in the face of police intimidation.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Support the fight to Stop Cop City by donating to the Stop the Swap lawsuit fundraiser, or to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund.
Click here for information about getting...2023-04-2129 min
Beyond The Balance Sheet PodcastA Mother's Journey With Her Son's Recovery With Trudy AveryTrudy Avery is the Development Officer for Pavillon, a non-profit substance use treatment program located in Mill Spring, NC. She developed compassion for those using substances because of her son's journey through addiction and recovery. Trudy shares her family's personal story in hopes of helping other families. She also discusses the disconnect between insurance companies and treatment programs. Don’t miss this informative episode of Beyond the Balance Sheet. IN THIS EPISODE: [01:41] Trudy shares her genetic background, which leans toward alcoholism, and describes Corey’s journey through treatment [07:30] What happens When parents disagree a...2023-04-1924 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersStopping Cop City: Coal's StoryCoal (he/they) is organizing a solidarity group in Springfield, Illinois, for the Movement to Defend Atlanta's Forest and Stop Cop City. He understands that what happens in Atlanta will have wide-reaching impacts — from environmental devastation to the way such a huge, hyper-militarized police training facility would set a precedent for similar projects across the nation.
In this second episode in the Stopping Cop City series, Avery deconstructs "outside agitator" rhetoric, while Coal offers their insights on how to support the movement from afar. Together, they also discuss trans intersections and the power behind being able to la...2023-04-1332 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersStopping Cop City: Siihasin's StoryLearn about the Movement to Stop Cop City and Defend Atlanta's Forest through the stories of forest defenders for whom queerness and faith intertwine with activism. In this first episode, Siihasin describes their experiences as a Diné nádleehi, frontliner, and land defender.
Siihasin was one of around 20 Indigenous two spirit persons invited to the latest Stop Cop City Week of Action to facilitate conversations around Indigenous sovereignty, land rights & protection, and Black liberation & solidarity. How can activist movements work to protect and center their most vulnerable members?
Click here for an episode transcript.
...2023-04-091h 01Blessed Are the Binary BreakersHoping against Hope: What keeps us going in troubled timesThe world is a scary place right now — particularly for trans people. Our youth are being targeted. Our bodily autonomy is under threat. We are made into scapegoats by extremists who want to eradicate us. In these tumultuous times, where is the hope?
In this special episode, you'll hear from people of various genders and faith experiences about what keeps them going — from Higher Powers to the power of storytelling; and from friendship & solidarity to the natural world.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Talking points:
(0:00) Complicating hope — not to be confus...2023-03-3134 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersUprooting Bitterness, Planting Trans JoyIn the anti-trans flood, I don't want my anger and hurt to wither into bitterness; I want to channel it into planting a garden of trans joy, queer rest, intersectional justice.
Click here for the episode transcript.
Content warning: anti-trans rhetoric & legislation, swearing.
Talking points:
(0:00 - 2:07) Garden dreams
(2:08) The frustrations of seeking healthcare while trans; finding trans joy where it is
(5:43) Despair over Tennessee's anti-drag bill; hope in the defiance of drag performers like Bella DuBalle
(12:42 - end) We will resist — but I dream of rest. How do ea...2023-03-0117 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersOur Lady of Disgrace: a queer Christmas storyIn saying yes to bearing God Themself outside of marriage, Mary said yes to disgrace in the eyes of the world — not unlike the rejection LGBTQA+ persons can face when we accept God's call to live into our full, beautiful, queer selves. In this short story from Squirrel House Publishing's 2021 anthology Reconstructing Christmas, the Mother of God emboldens a nonbinary college student to take a courageous step.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Talking Points:
- 0:00 - Exploring the queerness of Mary in Luke 1, as well as in her apparitions to marginalized persons ac...2022-12-231h 10
Miscarriage Stories with Arden Cartrette76. Three Miscarriages, Fertility Struggles, and Pregnancy After Loss w/ SarahGRIEVING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS WEBINAR: https://best-hill-471.myflodesk.com
Before welcoming her living son, Avery, into the world -- Sarah experienced three consecutive miscarriages. Sarah and Arden met through Instagram, and for the last three years, they have virtually supported each other through multiple miscarriages, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood after loss. Hear Sarah's story with recurrent pregnancy loss, learn about her job at Fairhaven Health, and her journey to Avery.
Check out our one-on-one support sessions: https://themiscarriagedoula.co/1-1-support
2022-11-301h 11Blessed Are the Binary BreakersEmbracing “Messy” with K Kriesel — a chaplain & textile artist who blends Catholicism, Wicca, & queernessK Kriesel (they/them or she/her) is not afraid of "messy," with a spiritual life that blends Catholicism and Wicca, and holds space for time adrift.
K has broken away from a variety of groups that proved too limiting to uplift the most marginalized, including any feminism that prioritizes white, cis women. As they search for a spiritual community built with people like them in mind, K serves as a chaplain and creates the kind of queer Catholic art they want to see in the world. You can contact K and view their work at kkriesel.c...2022-11-011h 13Blessed Are the Binary Breakers"The Good Kind of Weird" — Ynza Morgan Star: Genderqueer, Pagan, & so much more!After growing up Southern Baptist and pressured to conform to gender norms, it took time for Ynza Morgan Star (she/her & zey/zeir) to live fully into her genderqueer, agnostic, pagan, game designer self. In this episode, Ynza shares how neurodivergence and the power of story have shaped her journey; how zey crafted zeir own name; how zey joined zeir local Unitarian Universalist fellowship; and so much more!
Content warnings: lots of discussion about conservative Christianity and transphobia, including the intense policing of a child’s self-expression. There are also brief mentions of dementia and parent death....2022-09-301h 29
SNL Struggles51. "Keep Your Head Up Queen, Your Tote Bag Is Slipping" - Natasha Lyonne and Japanese BreakfastSTRAP IN as we're joined by comedians, culture critics, and podcast regulars Keira and Arden to discuss our experience seeing the SNL Season 47 Finale live in person! While we were thrilled for Natasha Lyonne's debut on the 8H stage, we were disappointed with some key changes between dress rehearsal and the live show. Tune in to hear exclusive stories about the cut Cold Open, cast members' subsequent pettiness at barricades, a slew of celebrity cameos akin to an odd mushroom trip, and our closing thoughts on this season and the departures of Kate McKinnon, Aidy "Slaydy" Bryant, Kyle Mooney...2022-08-221h 41Blessed Are the Binary BreakersJoseph and the Amazing Original Neuroqueer Pride Flag (Crossposted)This episode is a slightly abridged version of part 1 of the Neuroqueer Joseph series over on The Autistic Liberation Theology podcast. Be sure to visit Laura's podcast for parts 2 & 3 once you've finished this episode!
My friend Laura and I explore all the queer + autistic elements of Joseph's story, starting with Genesis 37. Joseph wears makeup and the colorful dress of a princess, toe-walks, and dreams dreams that threaten the status quo — a queer and neurodivergent figure if there ever was one! Why did Joseph’s world — and why does ours — view such a person as threatening? What gifts do neuro...2022-08-1254 minSNL Struggles50. "Say THAT Into the Mic" - Top 50 StrugglesLIVE FROM STANDBY LINE - IT'S THE TOP 50 SNL STRUGGLES OF ALL TIME! In celebration of our 50th episode, Arielle, Alexei, and Avery are joined by comedians, culture critics, and PODCAST LEGENDS Cristina, Rys, Keira, Arden, and Aria! Follow our audio adventures as we broadcast live from the streets of New York City and Mesa, Arizona to discuss musical mishaps, sketch snubs, band bannings, and all the crude clownery Saturday Night Live. has brought upon the world. THANK YOU FOR STRUGGLING WITH US! AND MAY WE STRUGGLE AGAIN! Stay tuned for more weekly episodes! Follow us on Twitter a...2022-08-111h 36Blessed Are the Binary BreakersRefuting TERF/anti-trans rhetoric with Leslie FeinbergAvery reads more passages from Leslie Feinberg's 1996 work Transgender Warriors — this time ones that respond to the same tired arguments people have been making against the trans community for decades now. How do you respond when someone insists that women's spaces shouldn't include trans women, that drag queens make a mockery of femininity, that trans women have male privilege? Feinberg offered concise, helpful answers years ago that can help us continue the good fight today.
Click here for an episode transcript, which contains source links.
Talking Points:
(0:00 - 4:30) Call for stories + introducing the to...2022-07-1730 min
Blessed Are the Binary BreakersLeslie Feinberg on Trans Liberation & SolidarityAvery reads excerpts from Leslie Feinberg's Transgender Warriors. Though the book was first published in 1996, the history it relates could not be more pertinent. In the shared passages, Feinberg emphasizes how we must not only demand and win but also defend our human rights. The fight isn’t over until systems that deny us our rights are also overthrown, and every single person is free.
Click here for an episode transcript.
You can read Transgender Warriors for free online.
Talking points:
(0:00 - 4:48) Introducing Leslie Feinberg and Transgender Warriors
(4:49 - 15:42) Re...2022-07-0118 min
Blessed Are the Binary Breakers"We’re in this for the liberation” — More from Rev. Krissy on transforming the ChurchUCC pastor Rev. Krissy imagines a Body of Christ that moves beyond the institutional Church. We are called to confront corruption and power, and to unite in solidarity with all who work towards liberation.
This is a bonus clip from a larger conversation; check out episode 54 — “Coming Back to Life: Rev. Krissy is a Politically Queer UCC Pastor" — for more of Krissy's story and wisdom. Find Krissy at rev-krissy.tumblr.com; or visit their church website: www.epiphanyucc.org
Click here for an episode transcript.
Talking Points:
(0:00 - 3:45) Intro material
(3:46 - 7:30...2022-05-3120 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersMarginalized Bodies as Spectacle & the Good News in Jesus's Disabling WoundsIn Jesus, God rose with wounds that would have impaired his mobility and fine motor skills. In John 20, Jesus allows his disciples to gaze at his impaired body, and even lets Thomas touch his wounds. Let's explore how this story connects to the complications of marginalized bodies being put on display for public consumption — of being made into a spectacle.
Is it possible for marginalized persons to have any agency in how our bodies are viewed and interpreted? How does Jesus model possibility for his disciples, similar to what Laverne Cox calls trans possibility models? How have ma...2022-05-0238 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersQueering the Cross, Tomb, and ResurrectionNow are the days that God lies dead — the God who, in dying, expressed ultimate solidarity with all who have been unjustly killed across the ages. Let's explore how various queer theologians between 1993 & 2006 — plus some trans poets more recently — have connected Jesus's Passion, death & burial, and resurrection to LGBTQ experiences.
CONTENT WARNING: graphic depictions of hate crimes, including the murders of Matthew Shepard & a (fictional) Argentinian trans woman; deaths of gay men with AIDS; uses of dated LGBTQ+ language; mentions of religious homophobia
Click here for an episode transcript (works cited at the end).
Aver...2022-04-1658 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersMaking Space for Gethsemane: two disabled & trans theologians discuss what people in pain actually needFor Holy Week, Avery joined Laura Sommer on their Autistic Liberation Theology Podcast to discuss two Gospel stories through a disability theology lens — with some trans theology sprinkled in: John 12's account of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus; and Mark 14's telling of Jesus' Agony in the Garden.
Our world does not teach us how to face discomfort and pain healthily: we avoid, dismiss, or deny it; or we blame the one suffering; or we jump to action even when there are no easy fixes. In Bethany, Mary teaches us the art of simple affirmation and tenderness in...2022-04-1246 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersWhat's in a Name Change? — How I became Avery Arden and made it through the legal processAvery brings their wife on to reminisce about Avery's name journey — from picking out Avery several years ago, to choosing new middle & last names in time for the legal name change process. Why is that process so dang complicated and expensive? Why was "Banana" ever on the table for surname options? How does Avery honor their family & faith roots with their new name? And what do Avery, Cher, & Sasquatch all have in common??
Listen — or read along with the episode transcript — to find out!
Talking points:
(0:00 - 7:11) Introducing Leah, Avery's new full name; discuss...2022-03-3050 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersO Beautiful Dust — Lenten Prayers & the Gospels’ genderqueer water bearerIn O Beautiful Dust, RW Walker explores what difference traditional, queer, and Christ-centred common prayer might make in a chaotic and divided world. Avery had the honor of narrating the audiobook put out by Squirrel House Publishing — and they're offering A FREE COPY of that audiobook to the first 10 people to email them for it! Listen to the episode (or read along in the transcript) for more details.
In this episode, Avery shares 6 of the over 40 prayers contained in O Beautiful Dust — and offers some cultural context behind one of those pieces, which explores the story of the...2022-03-1825 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersComing Back to Life — Rev. Krissy is a politically queer UCC pastorLike Lazarus resurrected by Jesus, Rev. Krissy has moved from a stifling tomb — a church where they could not be openly queer & politically active — into the abundant life of authentic self and fighting for the liberation of all.
Krissy is a pastor and chaplain in the United Church of Christ who loves their supportive spouse, children, and church; and who sees a message of good news for all whom the world calls shameful in the parable of the father with two sons (i.e. the parable of the prodigal son).
Click here for an episode tran...2022-02-1657 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersNaming Faith — Eric Sharp is a Pluralist Agnostic & Systemic TherapistI sit down with my fellow seminary grad Eric Sharp (degree in Marriage & Family Therapy) for the story of how he came to call himself a Pluralist Agnostic who draws from Womanism and Postmodernism. On the way, we also discuss: the power of swearing and of playfulness; appreciating many truths in place of one Big Truth; and bringing healing into a broken world — with plenty of laughter as we go.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Content Warning: swearing; discussions of mental illness, addiction, and suicide ideation; of abuse and neglect and trauma, including among ch...2022-01-311h 00Blessed Are the Binary BreakersRevisiting Nativity: Was Jesus born in a barn or a house, and why does it matter?Sometimes the stories we think we know by heart are the ones most worth revisiting, and examining from new angles. In this episode, Avery focuses on a version of the Nativity that will likely be new to many of you: one in which the Greek of Luke 2:7 is translated differently to imply that Jesus was not born in a stable because Bethlehem's inn was full up, but rather was born right in the heart of a peasant home.
As they explore the Nativity from different angles, Avery shares several poems that invite the reader into various versions...2021-12-2439 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersThe Binary Breaking Transness of Jesus — Clip from an interview with Joseph PetersonI was honored to be invited onto Kings and Queens, a podcast hosted by Joseph & Nicole Peterson, to talk about Jesus through a trans lens! The full episode is over on their podcast and includes more of my own personal story as well.
For more about the Petersons, visit www.thepetersons.cc.
For a transcript of this episode, click here.
Talking Points:
(0:00 - 3:30) Intro
(3:30 - 11:28) Pastoring people into conversations about trans Jesus — why does the idea shock or offend many people? Normativity conflated with morality
(11:29 - 14:18) Ideas of gender in...2021-12-1427 min
The RuinsThe Binary Breaking Transness of Jesus | with Avery ArdenEPISODE 31
Today, we are joined by Avery Arden, and talking with them about Trans Christianity. We’ll also talk about their podcast Blessed Are The Binary Breakers, the transness of Jesus, and how we can learn to center the perspective and experience of our trans siblings and see heaven come to earth.
SHOW NOTES
Blessed Are The Binary Breakers Podcast
Queer Nativity Podcast Episode
Avery’s Instagram
Avery’s Twitter
Avery’s Facebook
www.blessedarethebinarybreakers.com
www.binarybreakingliturgy.com
The Kin...2021-12-081h 04Blessed Are the Binary BreakersNuminous Names: Stories of name changes across genders, cultures, and faithsLet's hear some stories from various people — trans & cis, Jewish, Christian, & Sikh — about how gender, faith, and culture have played a role in the names they use. How do names isolate us, or connect us; harm us, or heal us? And what does religion teach us about honoring one another's chosen names?
Click here for the episode transcript.
Talking Points:
(0:00 - 6:40) Introducing the topic; part of Avery's own experience
(6:41 - 9:45) Judaism: biblical name changes, honoring new names
(9:46 - 18:03) Eli's story: how the prophet Elijah helped Eli choose their name
(18:04 - 22:36) Adrian's story: finding the righ...2021-11-3052 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers"His Name Is John": magnAUtism & allyship in Luke 1A clip from a full episode of Laura Sommer's Autistic Liberation Theology podcast in which Avery and Laura discuss John the Baptist and his parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah. The two friends connect John's joyful leaping in the womb to Laura's coined term "magnAUtism" — the way autistic persons are drawn to and connect with one another. They also discuss how Mary, Elizabeth, and Zechariah are impacted by the autistic joy & defiance of their children even before and just after birth — especially how Zechariah's insistence "his name is John" makes him a patron saint of the parents of trans children today.
2021-10-3130 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersThe Blending of Pagan & Christian Belief: Black Book's tour of nineteenth-century RussiaThe spiritual landscape of nineteenth-century rural Russia blended native traditions and beliefs with Christianity; this is the world in which Black Book, an independent video game produced by Russian studio Morteshka, is set.
In this episode, Avery shares some of what Black Book taught them about this syncretism of belief (without spoiling the game, don't worry!). Then, they bring in Leslie Feinberg's 1996 text Transgender Warriors to discuss similar tensions between indigenous and Christian traditions in medieval Western Europe. What happened to other gods and spirits after the rise of Christianity? How did sorcerers like Black Book's young...2021-10-1523 minSNL Struggles27. "Our New Biden: Lorne Michaels" - Owen Wilson/Kacey Musgraves on SNLThe reviews are in and the ratings are down! Season 47 of Saturday Night Live is officially here. This week, Arielle, Alexei, and Avery are joined by their friends, comedian Keira Millin and DILF connoisseur Arden, to discuss the season premiere. The gang got to watch Owen Wilson's first hosting gig live in person, so they recount their traumatic standby line experience, Lorne's mini panic attack backstage, and other behind-the-scenes shenanigans. They say a tearful goodbye to Alex Moffat's Joe Biden impression and hello to new cast members Aristotle Athari, James Austin Johnson, and Sarah Sherman. Plus, hear all the...2021-10-091h 33Blessed Are the Binary BreakersThe Transcendent Tale of Brigid of Ireland: Celtic Goddess, Catholic Saint, and Voodoo LwaBrigid's intimate relationship with a fellow nun is not the only queer thing about her — her story also transcends any one religion, period, or place. How did a Celtic deity of forge and hearth transition into a fifth-century Catholic nun? How did devotion to Saint Brigid extend from Irish immigrants to enslaved Africans in Haiti and New Orleans? This mysterious figure revels in interweaving apparent opposites, in justice for outcasts, and in...a heavenly lake of beer??
For devotees of many faiths, Brigid's perpetual flame continues to light the way to wisdom and holy joy.
Fi...2021-10-0138 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersSex Work and Satanism with Azura RoseDespite growing up in a heavily conservative Christian town, Azura Rose (they/she) was raised by parents who encouraged them to ask questions and explore religion on their own. They are now a Satanist in Toronto, as well as a cosplayer & sex worker. In this episode, Azura discusses the beliefs & activism of The Satanic Temple, as well as what it's like to be a queer, goth, disabled sex worker.
Listen (or read along with the episode transcript) to find out what Satan & Jesus have in common; what was up with all the backlash around Lil Nas X's...2021-08-281h 02Blessed Are the Binary BreakersManlike Babies, Cuckolded Joseph, & the Sex Worker Madonna — More from Neville on Morality in Renaissance ArtNeville and Avery talk about the weird Renaissance tendency to depict babies as small men; how stereotypes about cuckolded husbands influenced artists' depictions of Joseph; why the Church was so scandalized by Caravaggio's sex worker Madonnas AND the presence of dirty feet on Saints and pilgrims; and more. As you listen, Avery invites you to ponder: what is considered decent and moral in your own time and place, and why?
For a larger conversation with Neville in which they discuss being an Australian queer Catholic who both studies and creates art, look back to episode 38: "Finding the...2021-07-2725 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers"I am God and not a man" - Exploring God's gender in the Book of Hosea with Liam Hooper & Peterson ToscanoThis episode is a sharing of an episode that first aired on the Bible Bash Podcast on November 30, 2020. Check out more from Bible Bash at https://biblebashpodcast.com/.
By taking on Hosea 11:9, Avery Smith cracks open a rich discussion with Bible Bash co-hosts Liam Hooper and Peterson Toscano.
Avery writes: “I interpret God’s declaration 'For I am God and not a man' in Hosea 11:9 as, among other things, evidence of Their rejection of being assigned a human gender and the roles implied therein.”
Could God be making a declaration of gender? What is Hos...2021-06-2930 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersGod Gets Vulnerable: A trans & autistic look at Elijah and the "still small voice"Avery was delighted to be on their friend Laura's Autistic Liberation Theology podcast; this episode features a clip from a longer conversation on "Toxic Mask-ulinity" that you can listen to at anchor.fm/laura-sommer.
In this clip, Laura introduces the concept of autistic masking — concealing parts or all of yourself in order to survive in an allistic (non-autistic) world — and relates it to similar trans experiences; then Laura and Avery connect these concepts to the 1 Kings 19 story of God coming to Elijah not in fire or earthquake, but in a "still small voice." What message do we find...2021-06-1528 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersWhen a trans traveler and an autistic apostle cross paths: Reading Acts 8 in communityWhen we delve into any holy text together, we all come away the richer for it — just as Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch enriched one another during their odd desert encounter, each sharing what they found in the prophet Isaiah.
In this episode, Avery shares a sermon they wrote on Acts 8:26-40 that draws not only from many transgender theologians but also from a conversation with a handful of people who all brought their unique insights to the story. Philip can be read as autistic, the eunuch as trans — and so much more! What unique experiences do we ne...2021-05-3134 min
Here’s To Life with Tori ReidEp. 22: Daphne Maxwell Reid (Part II) – Aunt Viv, Mother Wit and Blended FamiliesPart II: This episode bookends our March Women's History Month as a tall glass of sweet Virginian iced tea between Tori Reid and her step mother. We celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series finale (May 20, 1996) of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". Our Aunt Viv discusses her sweet joy and well lived memories from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion special on HBO Max, the late great James Avery, the surprise first time union with Janet Hubert, and Will Smith’s inspiring journey to growth and acceptance. From sitcom to reality, they examine their own blended family; decades of blood...2021-05-2932 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers"God's love should not be tainted by the fear of earthly hatred" - April is a proud Catholic Latina trans womanApril Willow Castillo knows what it is to believe yourself to be the only queer person in all of Peru; to question your sexuality while in Catholic youth group in the US; and to finally grow into yourself at a university supportive of LGBT faculty and students.
In this episode, April discusses how the love of God has pulled her from depressive states and religious trauma into deep joy and pride in being herself and bonding with other Hispanic queer folk. She also talks about LGBT community in Peru and the US; the history of Indigenous and C...2021-04-2940 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersGoodness Embodied: An intersex, nonbinary first human and a disabled risen ChristAvery shares their sermon from a recent worship service centered around the goodness of all bodies - particularly those the world labels broken or lesser. When so many of us are made to feel imprisoned by our own flesh, how do we embrace embodiment as something holy? Let's look to ancient interpretations of the first human (ha-adam) as intersex; connect this human's story to gender affirming surgery; and explore Jesus's choice to rise in a physical body with disabling wounds to discover how what the world calls broken, God calls Good.
Click here for an episode transcript.2021-04-1538 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersCombatting Antisemitism on Good Friday: An Alternative to the "Solemn Reproaches of the Cross"The scriptures and liturgy that Christian communities read during Holy Week, the week we commemorate Jesus's arrest and crucifixion, have borne violent antisemitic fruit across the centuries. Particularly poisonous is the "Solemn Reproaches of the Cross," or Improperia, which pins the blame for Jesus' death squarely on the Jewish community. In this episode, Avery shares the alternative liturgy they wrote, with the hope that it might be a jumping off point for conversations on this topic. Rather than pretending the "Solemn Reproaches" never existed, Christians must grapple with it, guide our communities in understanding why it is so evil...2021-04-0213 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersFinding the Power in Our Queerness and Rebellion in Our Love: Neville studies and creates queer Catholic artAmy Neville (he, she, or they pronouns) is a 21-year-old Australian art historian & artist whose work celebrates being both Catholic & queer. In this episode, Avery and Neville discuss Neville's life and how they've learned to stand up for themself and other queer persons; the way women & queer artists have used textile arts over the years; and Europe’s Renaissance Period, focusing on queer artists who navigated adhering to & rebelling against the Catholic Church's rules for art in that period.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Find Neville on instagram @krem.caramel; check out their work at...2021-03-3058 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersNo end to transphobia without uprooting ableism: exploring embedded forms of oppressionIn this first episode focusing on the interconnections between trans & disability communities & theologies, Avery draws from Mel Baggs' theory of embedded forms of oppression to describe how ableism is at the heart of many manifestations of transphobia, including pathologization and coerced treatments.
When transness is perceived as a disability, and disability is perceived as brokenness, the logical result is to try to "fix" or "cure" the trans individual - as evinced in the non-affirming "disability framework" through which some Christians view transness as a symptom of a Fallen world. How can trans persons and disabled persons join to...2021-03-1524 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersSolaris Baldwin is Christian not out of fear, but out of love for a co-suffering GodSolaris Baldwin is a 21-year-old Black, genderfluid Methodist who first learned about Jesus as a watchful judge ready to throw people into hell. However, as they explored their identity and sought out community, they uncovered the God who does not will suffering but who suffers alongside us; who does not demand unquestioning obedience but desires our joyful efforts to emulate God's own love. Join Solaris and Avery in a conversation about finding our people, wrestling with scripture, and letting go of fear in order to embrace growth and love.
Find Solaris @seraphic_sapphics on Instagram.
...2021-02-2356 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersTransgender Mental Health: with affirmation, community, and purpose, we thriveTrans persons experience drastically higher rates of mental illness and suicide attempts - when they are denied support and safety. In this episode, five trans and/or nonbinary persons of faith share their own mental health journeys, that move them from harmful theology to discovering God's deep love for them; and from isolation or hostility into relationships where they are embraced for all that they are.
Click here for an episode transcript.
CONTENT WARNING for discussions of suicide ideation & suicide attempts and brief mentions of self harm; as well as mentions of non-LGBT affirming ideologies.2021-02-1542 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersHow Shiva gave Rudra their name: the life of a disabled nonbinary Fijian-CanadianClick here for an episode transcript.
Rudra Maharaj navigates feeling disconnected from many of the communities around them due to racism, ableism, homophobia, and cultural differences, even while embracing the gods whose stories show them that queerness is compatible with Hinduism.
In this episode, Rudra discusses their family's unique ways of practicing Hinduism as descendants of the indentured Indian diaspora living in Canada by way of Fiji; how Shiva gave them their name; and how being disabled intersects with their faith and family life.
Find Rudra on Twitter @RY_Maharaj
Talking P...2021-01-2621 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersInterfaith and Interracial Solidarity in the Georgia ElectionsClick here for an episode transcript.
Avery shares their plans for this podcast for 2021! But first, they discuss the hard work that won white Jewish man Jon Ossoff & Black Christian Rev. Raphael Warnock the seats that flipped the US Senate blue, using an interfaith and interracial lens to do so.
Talking points:
(0:00 - 4:21) Episode intro, summary of presidential election & GA's runoff election
(4:22 - 10:05) Exploring Ossoff and Warnock - how their respective faiths fuel their civil work; comparing them to Congress's white Christian majority
(10:06 - 13:23) Shifting the narrative about faith in politics2021-01-1527 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersA Queer Nativity: God’s transition, Mary’s trans-gressive yes, and Joseph's trans-formation into an allyClick here for an episode transcript.
Find more of Avery's poetry at binarybreakingworship.com.
Avery reflects on the queerness of Advent + Christmas, including 3 original poems. They show how the Nativity story (as presented in Luke & Matthew) is bursting with binaries broken, assumptions flipped on their head, and God's uplifting of persons the world calls unworthy. They explore Divinity's transition into a physical, finite form assigned male at birth; Mary's "yes" that put her at risk of social condemnation - not unlike what trans persons risk when coming out; and Joseph's initial confusion and rejection transformed into...2020-12-2224 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers“It’s good to have wings, but you have to have roots too”: Cultivating your own faith while embracing religious pluralismClick here for an episode transcript.
This is the second of two episodes featuring excerpts from authors who speak on religious pluralism and interfaith relationships. In this episode, Avery reiterates how opening oneself to beliefs beyond one's own can enrich one's connection to divinity and to humanity - rather than posing a threat to one's own faith life.
The passages Avery shares in this episode come from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' Making Space for Difference, Philip Vinod Peacock's "Some Insights on Imago Dei," Rev. Jonathan Thunderword's From Christendom to Freedom, and Eboo Patel's Acts of Faith.2020-12-1735 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers"No one owns God" - readying yourself for respectful interfaith encountersClick here for an episode transcript.
This is the first of two episodes featuring excerpts from authors who speak on religious pluralism, interfaith relationships, and how diverse identities and cultures enrich religion. In this first episode, Avery focuses in on the extra complexities faced by Christians in approaching interfaith relationships respectfully, as members of a religion with a history and present tangled up in colonization and assimilation.
The passages Avery shares in this episode come from Barbara Brown Taylor's 2018 book Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others and Kaitlin B. Curtice's 2020 book Native: I...2020-11-2634 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersHalloween is a Queer Thing - from Celtic peasants to LGBT communities in the USAvery draws from multiple sources to discuss Halloween as a holiday that has elevated gender diversity since its origins deep in the ancient Celt observance of Samhain. As a holiday that has undergone various transitions, traveling across time and space and religious experiences while maintaining its binary-breaking core, Halloween is the perfect time for those of us who don't fit into gender norms to live into our holy truths. Indeed, its rise in popularity in the United States may well have relied on LGBT communities!
Click here for an episode transcript that includes resources & citations.
T...2020-10-3030 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers“Marginalized people should know not to marginalize people” - Andy’s research into bi and trans exclusionAndy Thornton shares their research into the exclusion experienced by bi and trans persons not only in Christian spaces, but also in LGBT/queer spaces. They found that many persons are made to feel like they are "not enough" - not Christian enough, not queer enough, not trans enough - and feel compelled to alter or suppress aspects of themselves to fit in better. How do we learn to stop hurting one another in the same ways that the normative world hurts us?
Click here for an episode transcript.
Talking points:
- (0:00 - 4:12) Int...2020-10-1624 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers"Helping each other be whole": trans insights into intersectionality and solidarityIn this special episode, 8 trans and/or nonbinary persons share their insights on solidarity and allyship, intersectionality and wholeness. How do we resist assimilation and recognize our interdependence? How does religion uplift or fail trans persons? What can all of us, cis and trans alike, do to recognize our privilege and show up for other marginalized communities? Let's keep the conversation rolling.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Talking Points:
(1:50 - 5:38) Hadassah (she/they) is a Black Jew who wants those who would be their ally, accomplice, or co-conspirator to understand that they...2020-09-2829 min
The Producer's Perspective Podcast with Ken DavenportLive From The Pandemic: MICHAEL ARDEN & ANDY MIENTUSWelcome to the miniseries, The Producer's Perspective LIVE! From The Pandemic.Inspired by my podcast and check-ins with friends, I started The Producer’s Perspective LIVE! I started going live every night at 8pm with a superstar TheaterMaker to check in with them and see how they were doing and how this pandemic has affected them. Many shared how they’ve been keeping those creative juices flowing, sharing many fun memories, raising money and awareness for The Actors Fund and other charitable organizations needing our support. We even started sharing ‘something to make you smile’ by featur...2020-08-3122 minBlessed Are the Binary Breakers"It's an honor to be trans" - Andy is a queer QuakerAndy Thornton (they / he, age 23, England) is an autistic artist and scholar, excitingly gendered, and passionate about expanding our inclusion within faith spaces and queer spaces ever wider. They became a Christian at 16 before realizing they were bi and trans, and despite queerphobic messages from church leaders, Andy received only messages of affirmation from God. Thus their love for a sassy, queer Jesus grew, and they eventually found a home in Quakerism, with its radical equality of all ages and genders and emphasis on activism.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Find Andy and his...2020-08-2755 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersGender Diversity Pre-Patriarchy: what Genesis 24 revealsAvery brings the story of Rebekah and her mother's household told in Genesis 24 into conversation with social anthropologists' understandings of the communal, cooperative societies that preceded the birth of patriarchal, patrilineal societies across the globe. Ze draws from Leslie Feinberg's text Transgender Warriors to explore how the rise of patriarchy and class impacted ancient persons whom we might identify as trans or otherwise gender diverse -- including the biblical character Rebekah, whom the original Hebrew text identifies as a na'ar, a "young man."
Other texts from which this episode draws are Mx. Chris Paige's OtherWise Christian and...2020-07-2935 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersHagar and the Caravan - the Abrahamic God sides with the oppressedAvery brings the story of Hagar - a figure shared by the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions - into conversation with the story of Charlotte and other trans women who were part of a caravan leading up through Latin America into the United States.
This episode continues the theme of solidarity from June's earlier bonus episode. It highlights the urgency of recognizing how intersections of gender and race impact trans persons of color. It’s a reminder for all who experience some form of marginalization that we must not allow our shared enemies to divide and conquer us...2020-06-2924 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersAs if their battle were my own - solidarity in current protests against police antiblacknessThis special episode centers around the current protests against police murders of Black persons in the United States. In the fight against antiblackness, I see an urgent need to break down the binary constructed between US and THEM that allows our common enemy to divide and conquer our communities one by one. As trans activist Leslie Feinberg notes, each of us must become "fighters against each other’s oppression...and in doing so...forge an invincible movement against all forms of injustice and inequality."
Frederick Douglass once said, "When I ran away from slavery, it was for mys...2020-06-0215 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersMx Chris Paige is an OtherWise holy hybridChris Paige has been compiling resources for trans persons of faith since the late 1990s, when the word "OtherWise" came to them on a mountaintop to describe those who do not fit into Western binaries constructed around sex and gender.
As they've cultivated community, maintained TransFaith.info, and blogged at OtherWiseChristian.com across the decades, Chris has been on a journey of their own. Their Christian faith has mingled and expanded into Animism and Humanism. They've taken on terms like "misfit" and their friend Louis Mitchell's phrase "holy hybrid" to better describe their identity. They've decided to a...2020-05-261h 11Blessed Are the Binary BreakersHow are trans people like Shiva, Joseph, and Joan of Arc?Instead of an interview, this episode dives into faith history to present three stories that may resonate with trans and nonbinary people today. I draw from others' research to share accounts of: the divine manifestation Shiva from Hindu scriptures (as well as some of his devotees across time); Judaism's Joseph of Genesis; and the Catholic Saint Joan of Arc.
Each of these figures (or their followers) breaks out of the gender roles assigned to them, sometimes facing condemnation for doing so - and yet they share their gifts in ways that bring healing and transformation to themselves and...2020-04-2831 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersSacred body, sacred space - stories of trans spirituality across faithsThe spiritual lives of trans persons are as rich and varied as anyone's - and indeed, are often enriched by their transness. In this episode, 14 trans and nonbinary persons from a variety of faiths - heathenism, Judaism, Christianity, Shinto, and more - and from around the world - the USA, Argentina, Australia, England, and more - share what sacredness means to them.
Click here for an episode transcript.
Warning: discussion of anti-trans religious hurt. Also, 1 use of the f-word in Deacon Phoebe's story.
- (3:43-7:07) "Anon" (they): a heathen in their 30s challenges...2020-03-241h 14Blessed Are the Binary BreakersWashing off Cisheteronormativity: Dr. S.J. Crasnow on centering LGBTQ persons in faith communitiesDr. S.J. Crasnow is a 35-year-old Jewish Californian who has made a home with their spouse in Kansas City, Missouri, where SJ teaches and researches in the religious studies department of a small university. Join us as SJ talks about growing up in a liberal, Jewish family but becoming wary of religious institutions over time; about only gradually recognizing their own queerness and first coming out at 25; and about their journey into academia.
Dr. Crasnow studies how queer and trans Jews engage with their faith in powerful and innovative ways that can and do shape Judaism a...2020-02-2550 minBlessed Are the Binary BreakersTaylor's faith evolution into a seminary-bound Christian witchTaylor's faith is constantly evolving, from Presbyterian to atheist and back again, with their Christian faith expanding to include witchcraft. Learning from their family from a young age that politics and activism are part of following Jesus, Taylor has also discovered how queerness and tarot, symbolism, and astrology enrich their relationship with God. Taylor hopes to find a seminary where they can learn and grow even more, in the company of people who embrace all aspects of their identity as a fat, disabled, leftist, nonbinary, A+/B- asexual, Christian witch.
*Content warning: a teenager's death...2020-01-2743 min