Catholic Deacon Shares Heartfelt Story of Supporting Transgender Daughter

[cbayer]

http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/catholic-deacon-shares-heartfelt-story-of-supporting-transgender-daughter

January 6, 2015 by Hayley Miller, Digital Media Associate

In a post for New Ways Ministry, a Catholic Deacon in Florida shared his support for the LGBTQ community and, in particular, his transgender daughter.

Taking Pope Francis’s words to heart, Ray Dever and his wife fully embraced their daughter, who came out in the fall of 2013.

He wrote, “We slowly came to the realization that we hadn’t lost the person who had been our son. In fact, in many respects we got our child back, as she embraced her gender identity and emerged from the depths of depression. All the creativity, humor, empathy, and intelligence that make her an exceptional person are still there and are shining through stronger than ever. And I’d like to think that the acceptance of her immediate and extended Catholic family have played some part in that positive transformation.”

Some transgender youth, sadly, are not as fortunate. Dever’s post follows the tragic suicide death of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teen who was not supported by her conservative Christian family.

more at link

[trotsky]

1. Key quote:

“While I am certainly not qualified or authorized to speak for the Church on LGBTQ issues..."

He definitely isn't. He is way too tolerant to speak for the RCC. The pope says that gender ideology is demonic.

[LostOne4Ever]

5. I wish I could say I was surprised

[font size=4 color=teal face='papyrus'] but this pope prove yet again he is not much different than the previous one.[/font]

*closed the post with [/front] which messed with the reply screen. It has been corrected to [/font] now.

[trotsky]

6. Well, that's not entirely true.

He has proven to be much better at PR!

Side note: That is freaking cool how it renders the reply screen in your font!

[LostOne4Ever]

8. Very true(nt)

[hrmjustin]

2. We need more clergy like this deacon.

[cbayer]

3. And a lot more parents like this parent.

It is beyond tragic when a child is rejected by their parent.

[hrmjustin]

4. Horrific. i was glad my parents did not reject me for being gay.

It was my biggest fear.

[LostOne4Ever]

7. Awesome to see parents accepting their trans daughter

Especially in the wake of the Alcorn girl.

[cbayer]

9. Yep. I hope that his support will pave the way for other parents

to stand up in support.

The Alcorn tragedy should send a clear message and I hope it will help people change.