Inclusion

Suggestions for Including Transgender People and Families in Your Catholic Parish, School, or Community

1. Have a specific meeting to watch videos and read some of the resources listed below.
2. If you have a book club, include some of the books on transgender experiences.
3. Speak about needs, concerns, joys of transgender people in homilies, prayers, group sharing, talks, bulletins.
4. Be visibly supportive of transgender people in work, prayer, and social environments.
5. Develop a transgender-friendly resource library; subscribe to transgender-friendly periodicals.
6. Recognize and/or participate in public transgender events.
7. Invite support groups for transgender people to use church/community space.
8. Hold an inclusive Mass celebrating all forms of diversity.
9. Sponsor a retreat or day of recollection for transgender people and their families.
10. Include transgender topics in adult religious education and youth ministry programs.
11. Put an ad in the local LGBTQ paper inviting transgender people to your parish events and liturgies.
12. Sponsor a panel inviting transgender people to speak about their faith.
13. Form support groups for transgender people and for their parents, families, and friends
14. Become involved and/or educate parish around pro/anti-transgender initiatives in legislation.
15. Work with neighboring parishes to sponsor education days on transgender topics.
16. Include transgender organizations in potential parish stewardship opportunities as both donors and recipients.
17. Provide an all-gender restroom.
18. Respect a person’s pronoun preference.

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