Activists respond after Detroit archbishop addresses gender identity
(CBS DETROIT) - The Archdiocese of Detroit has released new policies relating to gender identity, and some trans advocates are not happy about it.
The new policies are guidelines for parishes and schools in the diocese.
At the heart of the matter is how schools and parishes should deal with kids or individuals experiencing what it calls "gender confusion," a term that is considered offensive to Julissa Abad, a trans woman and advocate.
Read the letter below:
The Good News About God’s Plan - A Pastoral Letter on the Challenges of Gender Identity by CBS Detroit on Scribd
"The actual term in transgender, I noticed he wouldn't even address what we are, which is trans or transgender," Abad said.
Abad is also the director of FAIR Michigan, a trans advocacy group. She said she is concerned the new policies could threaten the livelihood of trans kids.
"He stated it is gender confusion. Those policies impact, particularly youth, in a negative way," Abad said.
"All of our work in dealing with young people, we will treat them with compassion, but treat them according to their God given gender," said Archbishop Allen Vigneron during a recent podcast.
Vigneron went on to explain why the diocese chose to address gender identity in the first place.
"There is a great difficulty for those experiencing confusion about their gender identity, it's something very personal, very, very significant, and we need to be compassionate to them and non-judgemental," Vigneron said.
Some of the policies include not allowing trans kids to participate in sports or use the restroom based on their gender identity but only being allowed to do so based on biological sex.
"And I genuinely think they should be able to play whatever sports with whatever gender they identify and use the bathroom or have a gender-neutral restroom," Abad said.
Although she is frustrated with how the Diocese of Detroit intends to deal with trans kids, in the event schools or parishes encounter a trans individual, Abad said she is thankful for the support many Catholics have given her community.
"To all the Catholic people who are LGBTQ supporters, I want to say thank you because I have seen so many people talk about how it's outdated policies and again how it affects my community from even wanting to come to church," she said.
Again, the Diocese's position is that gender identity is a major cultural issue, and they believe their new policies are the best way to deal with it.