(An article to Trans Etiquette from the Metropolitan Community Churches - an worldwide, inclusive christian movement)

MCC is a wonderful, diverse community of many types of people, from many backgrounds and experiences. 

Throughout our history we have learned to bridge the differences between us and celebrate them. 

Sometimes this has been a challenging and thought-provoking process.

Transgender people have always been a part of MCC, but it is perhaps only in the last few years that transgender people have become more visible in our GLBT communities and in MCC as well.  For many transgender people MCC has provided a safe place in which to explore Gender identity and to come out and live in the fullness of our identities as God has created us.

But we still need to consider how to make our churches and communities safe, welcoming places for transgender people, their lovers, friends and family.  MCC needs to take this message of God’s love for all people out into our GLBT communities and beyond where transgender people still experience considerable oppression and discrimination on a day to day basis.

Making our own faith communities welcoming to transgender people requires us to look at our own assumptions about gender and sexuality and what it means to be part of the GLBT community.

So, where do we start?

The following Trans-Etiquette has been compiled from the suggestions, comments and questions of many people who are transgender, gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, male, female, young, old, from books, the internet, caucuses, discussion groups, and on and on.  This list is only the beginning of Trans-etiquette that we can all know.