In 2014, when I came out, I was told I could never receive communion again.

In 2014, when I cam out my authentic gender identity, I was told by my church I could never receive communion ever again. All due living as a man now and going against my birth assignment. Now my husband and I would appear fabulously gay and I would be considered transgender to my birth assignment.

Apparently, it is all a sin to live my authentic self. So, James, my husband got hit too for loving me more. They would have forgiven him for divorcing me, but showed prejudice to him for staying with me.

No, we didn’t believe our church made the right choice. The way I see it, Jesus would not agree with them either. This is not what God wanted. This is not love.

As of August 2021, I became a seminarian at Meadville Lombard Theological School. I now like to consider myself a omnist and interfaith and realize the harm that religion brings to those of us who are LGBTQIA+. It is part of my activism that I show people that God loves us too. I am now a LGBTQIA+ visionary. It is now my message that I was born in the image of God too. I now study all the world religions to help understand better, and help end this prejudice and hate.

You can see my intersex story, and the story of several other intersex survivors, in our documentary: Stories of Intersex and Faith. Please e-mail me: anunnakiray@gmail.com if you want to arrange a screening with Intersex and Faith. We offer pannel discussions, or I can come speak privately after the paid screening.

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This song by U2 personally means something to me and touches my wounded heart.

Lyrics to Troubles by U2

Somebody stepped inside your soul
Somebody stepped inside your soul
Little by little they robbed and stole
Till someone else was in control

You think it’s easier
To put your finger on the trouble
When the trouble is you
And you think it’s easier
To know your own tricks
Well, it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do

I have a will for survival
So you can hurt me
And then hurt me some more
I can live with denial
But you’re not my troubles anymore

Somebody stepped inside your soul
Somebody stepped inside your soul
Little by little they robbed and stole
Till someone else was in control

Somebody stepped inside your soul
Somebody stepped inside your soul
Little by little they robbed and stole
Till someone else was in control

You think it’s easier
To give up on the trouble
If the trouble is destroying you
And you think it’s easier
But before you throw me a rope
It was the one thing I could hold on to

I have a will for survival
So you can hurt me
And then hurt me some more
I can live with denial
But you’re not my troubles anymore

Somebody stepped inside your soul
Somebody stepped inside your soul
Little by little they robbed and stole
Till someone else was in control

Somebody stepped inside your soul
Somebody stepped inside your soul
Little by little they robbed and stole
Till someone else was in control

God knows it’s not easy
I’m taking on the shape of someone else’s pain
God now you can see me
I’m naked and I’m not afraid
My body’s sacred and I’m not ashamed

Somebody stepped inside your soul
Somebody stepped inside your soul
Little by little they robbed and stole
Till someone else was in control

Somebody stepped inside your soul
Somebody stepped inside your soul
Little by little they robbed and stole
Till someone else was in control

Songwriters: Clayton Adam, Evans Dave, Hewson Paul David, Mullen Larry. For non-commercial use only.

The Troubles by U2 on Youtube

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