Over the past 40 years, GJC has gone through an evolution in its posture toward LGBTQ Jews, from tolerance to acceptance to celebration of the important and beautiful contributions that LGBTQ members and families add to our communal life, symbolized by our amazing Pride Shabbat celebration that each year brings that to the fore. This change has not always been easy, and we acknowledge that there has been pain for our LGBTQ members along the way as well as joy. But we are glad that the important place of LGBTQ Jews in our communal life has become central to our self-understanding as a community.
Right now, we are particularly mindful of the need to preserve a safe space at GJC for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people in the face of extreme and hateful attacks on them by politicians and pundits and indefensible attempts to erase their existence in the eyes of the federal government by refusing to allow them to identify as the people they are on government forms and in applying for government programs and benefits. Added to all of this is the attempt to ban gender affirming care that is crucial for their physical and mental health and well-being. We are horrified by these attacks on the dignity and humanity of our people.
We want to say to our trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming members, young and old: we see you, we are with you, and we will never abandon our commitment to embracing you and loving you for who you are. Our policies will not change, and our values will not waver. You have a home at GJC, and we will always stand by you.
Our commitment stems from our work over the last 10 years to grow in our understanding and loving embrace of trans and non-binary members, helped immeasurably by the wonderful members who have gone through transition while part of the community and have generously shared their experiences and taught us how to support them. We also want to call out the crucial role of our teens, who have advocated for trans and non-binary youth and adults and educated us all. As a result, we have taken steps as an institution to make our synagogue a safe and welcoming space for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people, including providing all-gender single-stall bathrooms, changing our data systems to record appropriate gender identifiers and preferred pronouns for our members, and creating new ways to call people up to the Torah, new names and formats for lifecycle events, and new blessings for individuals that are gender inclusive and welcoming to all. We are proud of the work we have done, at the same time that we realize that there is of course more that we can and will do.
May God bless us all, all made in the divine image, with dignity, safety, security, love, and peace.