Yesterday at Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation (TOLUUC) in McHenry we marked LGBTQ History Month with Listening to our Past, Listening to our Present, Listening for our Future, a special service led by Pastor Dave Becker and the Welcoming Congregation Renewal Team.
Welcoming Congregations are recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) inclusive, accepting, and supporting for individuals on a gender and identity spectrum and being partners, advocates, and vocal allies in the wider community. TOLUUC, a longtime ally in McHenry County, earned Welcoming Congregation status years ago when it was known as the Congregational Unitarian Church in Woodstock. Now, along with many other UU congregations, is in the process of renewing recognition in light of evolving conditions and circumstances and a wider and deeper understanding of the fluidity in all of its expressions.
As part of that process, the Renewal Team has planned worship contributions over this church year. The Listening Service was the first of those experiences.
Heather Madaus, Director of Lifespan Learning, connected to another observance—Native American History Month during our Land Acknowledgment by sharing the story of the Two-Spirit People who were honored and valued in tribal societies across North America. She later also read the beloved classic And Tango Makes Three as the Story for All Ages.
The Chalice Lighting, a quote from Marsha P. Johnson was read by Renewal Team chair Mariela Janelle Gonzalez. Music included two video performances by the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus—We Are a Gentle Angry People by Holly Near and A Change is Going to Come by Sam Cook. Chaplin Dave read A Contemplation by Wit Lopez from the Black Trans Prayerbook and We Hold Hope Close by Julian Soto as the closing blessing.
My small part in the proceedings was creating and reading for mini-profiles of four individuals from American History. I drew on previously printed blog entries. It was like boiling down hundreds of gallons of sap for pint or so of real maple syrup, especially for a verbose bloviator who can’t resist to share every detail he has learned about a subject. It took a lot of sweat, but I finally came up with a selection that ran in my allotted three minuets of the service. It was Mariela who observed that the bios represented themes. Here they are:
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker in her Civil War uniform with her Medal of Honor.
Service
Mary Edwards Walker was a dark haired slender slip of a woman with a defiant don’t-take-no-for-an-answer attitude and a penchant for men’s clothing when she presented herself to the Army and demanded to be put to work as a surgeon not long after the Civil War erupted with the barrage of Fort Sumner in April 1861. The shocked Army had no idea what to do with her. They only offered her a chance to serve as a volunteer civilian nurse at no pay. Better than nothing, vowing that she would prove herself as the equal of any man. She was the first woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor and a pension for her Civil War service and continued to practice medicine in male attire for the rest of her long life.
Art and Expression
Christine Jorgensen was born George William Jorgensen Jr. in 1926 and was a stateside veteran of World War II. She was the first person to become widely known in the United States for having sex reassignment surgery. In Copenhagen she got special permission for a series of operations beginning in 1952. Upon her return to the U.S. her transition was the subject of a New York Daily News front-page story. She became an instant celebrity, known for her directness and polished wit, and used the platform to advocate for transgender people. She became an actress and singer who penned a best-selling autobiography. She came to reject the original term used to describe her—transexual—in favor of transgender.
Solidarity, Action, Call to Justice
Betty was what was then called by friends and cops alike a butch lesbian, a special target for the vice squad. She resisted being manhandled by police while being dragged to a squadrol during the raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in 1969. She called out for help from bystanders crying "Why don't you guys do something?" That sparked wider resistance and three nights of rioting protest. Those words became the Remember he Alamo battle cry of a movement.
Army trooper Bradley Manning on trial and Chelsea Manning after declaring her gender identity.
Conscience and Peace
Chelsea Elizabeth Manning was born Bradley Edward Manning in 1987 and was an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq who disclosed 750,000 classified or sensitive, military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks in protest to the War in Iraq. Convicted by court-martial in July 2013 of violations of the Espionage Act and other offenses she was sentenced to 35 years in prison. In 2017 her sentence was commuted by Barack Obama. During her incarceration she revealed her female gender identification and became known at Chelsea Manning despite her in peril in custody. In 2019 she was cited for contempt for refusing to testify against Julian Assage and spent another year behind bars. Whatever you may think of Assage’s motives and allegiances she acted in good faith and conscience. She now lives quietly as an LGBTQ+ advocate and has won accolades for her personal sacrifices for peace.
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