fbpx Statement Opposing Trump Plan to Curtail Rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People | Reconstructing Judaism

Statement Opposing Trump Plan to Curtail Rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People

News

Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association lift our collective voices in support of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people — our loved ones, our community leaders, and people across the globe.

We honor the holiness of transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming individuals’ lives, and uphold the value of b’tselem elohim, that each person is created in the image of divinity. We celebrate the individuals and cultural practices that advance our collective work for gender justice. We affirm the centrality of diverse gender expression and identity, gender fluidity, and gender activism in our Reconstructionist communities.

We unequivocally oppose any attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle federal protections for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people under Title IX.

We stand as partners against attacks on our communities and our loved ones, in the United States, in North America, and beyond. We vehemently reject that the binary sex marker assigned at an individual’s birth should dictate their access to facilities and services in health care, educational, and governmental settings, and we will protest policies that seek to uphold this scientifically and medically unsound thinking.

In keeping with the Reconstructionist movement’s resolution affirming full inclusion of transgender and non-binary Jews we reaffirm our commitments to enact gender affirmative practices in our Jewish congregations and communities: by educating about gender beyond the binary at our upcoming Convention, collaborating with Jewish Social Justice Roundtable partner organizations and others in support of trans-affirmative advocacy, and engaging in assessment and advancement of our own organizational practices.

Our ethical commitment to upholding gender-expansiveness is central to the flourishing of the Reconstructionist movement, now and going forward. In solidarity with transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming community members, we proudly proclaim: your existence is a blessing.

Related Resources

News and Blogs

Reconstructing Judaism's President Recognized as LGBT Icon

Reconstructing Judaism’s president, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., has been hailed as an LGBT Icon as part of LGBT History Month. Waxman is the first woman and first lesbian to lead a major Jewish denomination and rabbinical seminary.

News
News and Blogs

Pride Month, Israel, and Us

A personal message from Rabbi Deborah Waxman

News

Text Study on the Creation Story: The Nature of the First Human

In the first two chapters of the Torah, we find two different accounts of the creation of humanity. In this text study, Rabbi Maurice Harris explores the tension between these two stories, and presents a teaching from Midrash Bereishit Rabbah that presents food for thought about gender, essentialism, and the nature of humanity. 

Document

“Straight-Welcoming?!” – Creating an Inclusive Community

Lesser describes the evolution of an LGBT synagogue and dissects the meaning of inclusive community.

Article

Understanding Transgender Issues in Jewish Ethics

Drawing on the surprisingly sophisticated classical Jewish perspective on sex and gender, Rabbi David Teutch advocates for celebration and inclusion of transgender people as a fundamental issue of justice.

Article

Fighting for a Good Name

With few transgender role models, Rabbi Jacob Lieberman, ’15, faced harassment and bullying almost entirely alone growing up. As an adult, he found acceptance within the Reconstructionist community and from himself. In this d’var torah, Rabbi Lieberman shares how Jewish resources can help comfort those who struggle to find acceptance and wholeness.

Video

Prayer for AIDS Awareness Shabbat

Prayers written for insertion into Aids Awareness Shabbat services

Article

Coming Out

Reflecting on his own coming out, Rabbi Jacob Staub examines the varieties of tolerance, inclusion, and being considered “normal.” 

Article

Seeing the Other

Rabbi Jacob Staub reflects on the difference between welcoming others and seeing through their eyes.

Article