Thank you Kendall Oliver for sharing your story. Every day Christians and those from other faith backgrounds find reasons to be exclusive of LGBT people. It takes a lot of bravery to not only push back on policies that hurt us, but also to tell others what has happened to us. You did something courageous in a way. In the face of what Soulforce calls "spiritual violence," you went back to the Barbershop to confront the owner and give him a second chance. It's a shame and a pity that he could not see beyond his own prejudice to recognize you as a person, let alone a transgender person.
Reclaiming My Gender at My Christian University
Who says that persistence doesn't equal progress?
Title IX is a law that has been swooping into conservative Christian schools everywhere. It allows Universities and Colleges to discriminate against students and faculty based on how the religion views homosexuality and gender identity. The only problem is that not all schools have decided which side of the line they fall on. While several schools have filed for Title IX provisions, other schools have decided to practice open discrimination without calling it just that.
In a blogpost published by Soulforce a young transgender woman, Kit Apostolacus, fights for her right to live in housing that suits her gender identity. She is a true trailblazer. When Kit's school said that they couldn't process her documentation based on the fact that they hadn't come up with policies for or against gender identity, she forged ahead and created documentation that validated her position.
Read the blog to find out how Eastern University reacted to Kit's therapist and primary physician both submitting letters that testified to her wellness as a trans woman.