Presiding Bishop Curry Issues Pastoral Message for Transgender Day of Visibility
“For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).
Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility — a time dedicated to celebrating the lives, gifts and contributions of transgender people, while also recognizing their ongoing struggle for safety, dignity and justice.
In the ELCA social statement Faith, Sexism and Justice: A Call to Action, we affirm our belief that “God’s intention revealed through the Scriptures is that all people have life abundantly and flourish” (page 2). Today reminds us of our call to love, affirm and support one another — not just today, but every day as an expression of our faith.
In 2026, more than 700 anti-trans bills have been introduced across the country. The proposed legislation attempts to block transgender people from receiving basic rights such as health care, education, legal recognition and even the simple right to exist openly. Such laws cause harm to our transgender siblings.
In our congregational life, harm can take shape through patterns of teaching, language and policy, as well as through silences that quietly communicate rejection — even when no harm is intended.
At times like these, we are reminded that we are one body in Christ — if one part suffers, we all suffer.
As people of faith, we are called to:
- Pray with and for our beloved transgender siblings that all might be able to live life abundant.
- Advocate for policies that protect human dignity and oppose discrimination.
- Act by learning, showing up and standing in solidarity.
I invite you to engage ELCA resources such as:
- Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action
- ELCA social messages on “Gender-based Violence” and “Human Rights”
- Reconciling Works and other LGBTQIA+ affirming ministry partners
May we continue to live out our faith through love, justice and accompaniment.
In Christ,
The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.7 million members in more than 8,400 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
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