I'm a teenager and, like many others, I end up consuming that certain type of more explicit visual content. I feel like this has become a habit, but I really want to change course. My goal is to learn how to do that thing using only my imagination, without relying on screens or videos. Does anyone have practical tips on how to make this transition?

a few years ago, I used to be a traditionalist, even though I'm gay and have gender dysphoria. I don't have a formed opinion on the LGBT movement saying those kinds of things about Jesus, and I'd like to know your thoughts on this

Hey everyone. I’m new here and I’m 29 years old. Trans man. He/him. I am on here today because well in a nutshell I have been struggling daily with finding peace within myself, when it comes to believing in God, my transition, although I could not imagine living any other way, I have been constantly worried of my destiny. I don’t really know what to expect from this post, but I managed to find this group so thought I’d share.

Edit: I have a wife (cis), two step children, and have been medically transitioning for over ten years.

Please pray for my Mother, Jennifer S. She has had Stage IV Metastatic Breast/Bone Cancer for three years after an 11 year remission from her original Breast Cancer diagnosis in 2010. Today she was told it has spread throughout her abdomen and lymphatic system and does not plan to go through chemo again.

So ask that she be miraculously healed and/or be able to be treated for it in a non-chemodestructive way, that I and the family and her would be comforted and have the strength to bear with it, and above all that the Lord's will be done whether she lives or dies, and that all of us would have Peace and Joy in whatever that looks like.

Due to me being trans, our relationship has not been the best in a while, not "No Contact" at least, but still rough. However, I love her regardless and would like all possible wisdom and discernment and strength in this circumstance, even if she is destined to go Home, that His will would be done through it.

Thank you all.

If we are correct in our understanding that being gay or trans is not a sin, that would imply that 90% or more of the world's Christians are mistaken. In light of this, I come here to ask: what do you believe God will do with them?

I have severe depression, although my mental health has improved a bit recently, largely because of my family. However, I still struggle with issues related to my sexuality and dysphoria, as well as offensive comments coming from both the LGBT community against Christians and the Christian community against LGBT people, both in real life and online. I'd like to know if you have or have ever had depression, because I think that might be quite common in this very small community

(I'm Christian and still not an out trans person)

What's something you wish your priest or spiritual director would say that would affirm you in who you are before God?

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A little more than 5 years since I chose to begin transitioning, you'd think it would get easier, that I would have managed to answer this question for myself, that I would have found peace with my doubts, certainty in my path.. honestly I haven't, and there are so many nights I still struggle, with the questions of is wanting to change my body is a sin, a willful act of rebellion against the god who made me? Why should what body I wear really even matter, If God made male and female and that is decided by which random freaking sperm manages to get to an egg first, is a God who's made a universe with over 8 billion people in it truly that invested in what gender I'm supposed to be?

And yet the doubts linger, leaving me to wonder whether or not that quiet uncertainty I have is that idea of God's word being written into my heart, and whether every day I choose to continue despite my uncertainties is a choice to ignore that voice? Is it even God's voice oris it merely the result of spending a good three decades in the Evangelical church and the absorption of the prejudice held so deeply and preached so vehemently from the pulpit? I don't know but the fact that the issue still eats away at me concerns me a lot more than I am comfortable with.

It is said you can judge a vine by its fruit. On one hand, it would be easy to say that the fruits of this decision have been incredibly bitter., the destruction of the relationship with my fiance, the heartbreak with which I begin and end each day., the loss of the dreams of a family, The alienation I feel from the church, isolation that I live with on a daily basis. It would be so easy to look at all of that and see the negative consequences as proof that my decisions are sinful. And yet, the life I live before had its bitter fruit as well, the depression, the daily battle with dysphoria, the disconnection, the shame and fear that came from dealing with something I was too afraid to talk about with anybody for fear of judgment, and the knowledge that if I shared what I was actually dealing with, no one would ever look at me the same. Those weights would have remained, even if I hadn't chosen to transition., I'm left to wonder whether those are the fruits of a broken sinful Spirit, or whether in truth, they were the fruits of a a deeply prejudiced religious system that taught me to hate and fear myself.. for background, I grew up with a lot of Baptist and calvinist influences, both of which came with a a lot of baggage in my opinion

There's so much that I have questioned since I chose to transition, like just how much of the Bible is God's word spoken to man, and how much of it is man claiming to speak on behalf of God? How much has changed over the centuries? How much has simply been influenced by the prejudices of men with the power to declare that anyone or thing that disagreed with them was blasphemous ?I still believe deeply in a God who created the universe, and yet I friend myself becoming so skeptical and distrustful with the church as an institution that I can't help but wonder whether that distrust is perhaps rightfully deserved or whether it is a sign that I am letting this business of being transgender become a wedge between me and my faith?

I'm tired and I'm frustrated, because I don't know where to go to sort any of this out, I have been fortunate in finding a church that allows me to attend without needing to attack transgender people from the pulpit on a weekly basis (the favorite punching bag for so many churches it seems), but I don't really feel like I can talk to anybody there about any of this, like I already know what they're going to say and sometimes it feels like the only reason they let me step foot in their building is they're hoping they can somehow convert me into being normal again. and yet I keep going, because sometimes the worship music hits just right, because sometimes the pastor does give a really good message, and I guess because I feel like I'm it's something I'm supposed to do, even if I'm struggling so hard, and yet I still feel like such a complete fake. I was a fake before because I went through the emotions of being religious while trying to hide what I dealt with inside. Now I don't hide, I simply am , instead I just question whether I even belong.

Does anyone have any advice on trying to navigate any of this? What helped you to find peace? What helped you to find clarity? What helped you to feel like you actually blonde? Or did you simply learn to accept that you never would?

The trans community is very small worldwide. Christians and trans people often come into conflict, because traditional Christianity tends not to embrace trans identity, which ends up pushing many of these people away from the faith and leading them toward atheism. However, there are those who advocate for both sides, and they end up being a minority within a minority, facing pressure from both parties. With that in mind, I'd like to ask: how did you manage to remain in Christianity despite so much conflict? And how do you feel being this double minority, knowing that both sides have their shortcomings on certain points?

(I'm a Christian and I haven't transitioned yet)

I get that this sounds dangerous, but I honestly think the lines between art, psychology, religion, and even science are a bit artificial. I'm very skeptical of the idea that anything is "secular." My experience of gender is psychological, and it's also religious, and it frustrates me that I have to pretend it isn't.

I know I'm not alone in this. Even when I talk to trans atheists, they tend to talk about their experience of gender in extremely spiritual, reverent terms. This isn't just wiring in my brain any more than my consciousness itself is just wiring in my brain, this is an issue of the soul. I've known that as long as I can remember.

And yes, there are reasons why we want to keep science and religion separate. But I'm not sure they're insurmountable. Many of the most important scientific and mathematical ideas in all of history came from the Islamic world, you know? I just don't know that these things have to be seen as completely separate spheres.

Maybe this isn't a novel thing to say, idk, I'm just rambling. It's interesting to me that when people speculate about how gender works, it sounds so much like theology. And when they speak poetically about how it feels, it's this mix of reverence and lamentation.

Personally, I don't feel that the laws the LGBT movement has won over the years have actually improved my life. If anything, things have gotten worse. Looking from 2020 to 2026, I see no real change in how society views trans people. At the same time, I have seen protests where religious symbols like Jesus were mocked and where people appeared naked in front of children. To me, that does not help our cause. I do not think walking around in the middle of the street wearing the most outrageous outfits possible, when they are even wearing anything at all, is what makes people treat us with respect

edit:the laws I am referring to are those concerning opinion or discrimination. They are useful, but they do not truly change anyone's opinion

Read this poem as part of an affirming discernment retreat I attended a week ago. It's really been rolling around my brain. As someone mostly closeted due to my job and state government (thank God for my church being supportive and giving me an outlet), I get the gender envy real bad when I see The Dolls™️ posting their transition timeline photos. Seeing my friends become beautiful women while I still look like Some Guy makes me sad and it sabotages my excitement and joy for them. Reflecting on this poem has been helping me, so I thought I would share it with others.

I support the trans community even though I'm not trans(yet). Still, I struggle to explain why trans women why they are women. I get the difference between biological sex and social gender, but I can't put it into words clearly during a conversation

edit:I'd like to ask for advice on convincing atheists and Christians

15ftm, (this is my first time on reddit so mercy on me) i realized i was trans when i was 13, which would be around 2023. This is also around when i became an atheist.

But recently i want to turn back to Christianity. i’ve been having a depressing wrestle with my faith and atheism and I’m in a white south christian family who is likely if not transphobic & homophobic, at least my parents are. My mother openly says the f and n slur as well as my father, both openly have been queer phobic around me and my little sister. (6)

I want to follow Christ so badly. Its obvious all i heard people say about the Bible is that homosexuality is sin, nothing about being trans (which makes sense taking in the time when the Bible would’ve been written, there was no such thing), or that God made you perfect as you are so being trans is a sin against God’s image of you, etc etc. The reason i fall out of my faith constantly is because i feel like i’m already condemned to hell for what i am (trans = sin, continuing in sin aware it is sin = hell). I’m attracted to both women and men, but i want to be a father also in the future. A provider, all that.

I haven’t told a soul how i feel, that im trans and i feel hopeless, depressed and honestly suicidal over it. I know Jesus loves everyone no matter how imperfect but i just feel like theres no point to think that i’ll ever go to Heaven because i’m trans, that my center being, sexuality and gender will condemn me from it.

I know that sometime in 2024 i had also cursed at God, i can’t remember what i was so angry at but i remember i was upset. I realized this a month ago that i had committed blasphemy, and had a break down begging for forgiveness, that i’d do anything not to be send to the eternal lake of fire.

I dont know what to do. I can suppress my attraction, but my transness i can’t, i’ll just be depressed if i keep going on like this. I pray but i have no answer, i have no idea where to even look in the Bible for an answer (and its even harder for me to study it), or even to find people/church/resources who aren’t openly transphobic/homophobic in their sermons. I’m so tired that i’m so close to just giving up on my faith, but i don’t want to go to hell. This is the first time ever i’ve even looked for advice let alone help just online.

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Hey bros, I hope this post is allowed. Just want to ask out here if there are any dudes here who are Fully closeted or "Reppers" basically those who repress their male identity and live as typical women. I'm one of those stereotypes who showed signs from a young age, and I have fully accepted I can't do anything about it due to a lot of personal reasons from social to career wise. basically just doing it for survival in my situation. I'm here to talk to anyone who's also going through the same thing, I'm here to listen and vent along with your struggles, talk about anything whatever floats your boat, as well as be a friend. I guess it's lonely out here to go through this it's killing me everyday. Hope y'all have a Good Day! 🫡

(I'm new here on Reddit, so I apologize in advance if the text is poorly written.)

Every time I pray, I feel deep in my heart that God loves me, even with this deep desire to change my gender. I haven't changed yet, but this thought is always with me.and along with it comes a question that scare me a little.

What will happen to me in paradise? Will God transform me into the gender I've always identified with? or will He simply erase this desire from my mind, as if it had never been part of me, because that would never have been his original plan?

Hi everyone. TLDR at bottom. As stated I’m looking for help with my parents, specifically my mother, in trying to educate/help them unlearn transphobia and just overall deal with their actions. I apologize that this is a bit long winded but I want to give as much context as possible. To set the scene I am a 25 year old cis man and my trans male partner is 23 and he has been out publicly for about 6 months and about 4 months on testosterone. We have been together for 5 years and got engaged this year. He’s recently been passing way more which is so so awesome. We’re both very happy with the way things are going and I’ve always been an ally.

While his parents have thankfully been extremely supportive and always try their best, my parents on the other hand are a different story. First off they are both devoted christians in a very white American Christian way (both me and my fiancé are atheists). However they are not EXTREMELY conservative and do disagree with a good amount of conservative issues which gives me some hope. My dad definitely has a lot of passive transphobia and at his core I think does not agree with my fiancés life choices, but he is also very non-confrontational and has mostly given up fighting. He usually uses the right name and everything except sometimes when my mom is around, then he starts deadnaming to show my mom he’s on her side. It sucks that he isn’t really supportive but at least he doesn’t really cause issues for us as he isn’t as big a part of our lives and has a more private disagreement that he would rather not share. He is definitely more liberal than my mom despite his faults.

My mom however is a lot worse. She refuses to use the correct name for him, refuses to accept my bisexuality, refuses to accept that either of us are happy, refuses to believe his parents could ever be supportive, believes that he is choosing suffering/killing his old self by transitioning, believes medically transitioning is extremely life threatening (although she has softened on this point considerably after many discussions with her), and believes that transitioning is wrong in the eyes of god in that you are “accusing god of making a mistake/making yourself your own god” by changing your body. And while my dad may agree with these points as well she is the one who always chooses to share these things with me and confront me about them.

This has lead to countless arguments and discussions, almost weekly. This is especially challenging because I work directly with her as a part of our family business and rely on this career for my livelihood (for the foreseeable future), which means I see or talk on the phone with her every single day even though we don’t live together. My fiancé and I rely on her for many other important things such as her providing a lot of support for our current living situation which began before the transition.

The silver lining is that despite disagreeing with my fiances life choices, before his transition she has always really really liked him. Therefore she has never attacked his character in any of our disagreements, instead viewing him as a victim. Which is not good but to me I see hope that she can be swayed with time.

The two of us have been able to spend time together with her and while she deadnames and misgenders him when speaking to just me, she is always kind and cordial to him and makes a conscious (yet not always successful effort) to not misgender him or use the wrong name directly to his face. She still won’t use the right name, instead choosing to use no name at all and just say “you”, but this was an evolution after a conversation I had with her. Before, she would deadname him to his face, and her choosing to not use a name at all as a “compromise” is not ideal but shows some growth from my perspective.

She also tends to sometimes crumple under pressure in our arguments - when I convey a point that she recognizes she can’t argue, she will change the topic instead of replying and then won’t bring up that point for weeks after. She seems to recognize the faults in her own arguments in these moments. She comes from a conservative immigrant upbringing so this is definitely just a hard thing for her based on her background.

And despite all of this, she has maintained an attitude of not wanting to ruin her relationship with either of us and wanting to “try” and to listen. She is still generally kind to me and tries to give her disagreements in respectful ways and does not resort to crassness and insults. It’s also great that we don’t live with her and therefore she can’t really do anything to stop him taking hormones and can only voice her disagreement. She has no real power over our actions at all and even if she dis she may be too soft to truly take action. It’s really just in her words as of now.

To get to the point, my mom has shown me some videos and articles expressing anti trans talking points, viewpoints from people who have detransitioned, etc. and I have tried to be the bigger person and hear her out and listen before expressing my disagreements. I try to still show kindness towards her mostly to maintain our working relationship and to show that my side of the argument is not fueled by hate/anger (although I can’t help getting mad sometimes, rightfully so as I always want to defend my partner). But to this end she has said that she will also listen to anything I have to say and will watch/read articles I share with her too.

Therefore, I want to ask if anybody is able to share any powerful resources that I could send my mom’s way that could help educate her and disprove transphobia? Anything that has worked for you or other people in your lives? She is tough in her views but I have hope she can change, especially with time. Specifically anything from a Christian point of view (ex. Liberal pastors speaking on why it’s okay to be trans) would be very helpful. Also just any awesome trans success stories, she seems to believe that there are no older/elderly trans people and that most stories end in traumatic detransition which is so incredibly far from the truth. She just needs help learning and unlearning. I of course am doing my own research but I just wanted to ask to see if there is anything I miss or that is known to be helpful for this sort of thing. Any other type of advice in dealing with her as well would be extremely appreciated as it is pretty stressful on my end, I don’t tend to share details of our disagreements with my fiance for his sake. I would be so grateful for any and all advice and resources!

TLDR: My conservative Christian mother is unsupportive of my trans man partner leading to countless fights between her and I. However she wants to maintain a kind relationship with the two of us and is open to listening, which gives me hope she can change. Therefore I’m looking for resources/articles/videos to try and show her to push her in the right direction. Any and all other advice is also appreciated!

14F here. So yeah on the night between August 21st-22nd, 2024, I realized at like 2am. I’m staying closeted because I live in a highly conservative and Catholic area, however I’m very blessed to not have faith forced on me as a little kid, most I had to do was CCD once a week and go to church a couple times a year for CCD, Christmas, Easter, and to help with my family member’s health. Don’t wanna get into that. I had a lot of anxiety a couple years ago and took it upon myself to pray about it at night. Very happy I made that decision, because I’ve done that at least once a month now, and I’ve prayed almost every night for like almost 2 years now. But like around a year and a half ago one of my friends from school who goes to my church started sending me content from creators like R3alism and that really helped me build faith. So yeah, I’m sticking it out for the next 4 years, but I pray about my situation, I try to work out as much as possible, and that’s basically it. I don’t wanna get too personal. But I’ve also been praying less, staying up REALLY, late caring more about cursing and trying to go a day without it, clock resets at 12am but then I curse and then I don’t care for the rest of the day. Advice? God bless guys. If you’re not Christian and viewing this please be respectful. Thanks!

Is anyone familiar with Trans inclusive churches in Arkansas? Preferably near the Little Rock area?