06/12/2017
Joy Everingham has become the first transgender woman to be ordained and appointed by the Methodist Church. Methodists are a type of Christian that gained ground in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and are known for placing emphasis on people's personal reading of the Bible, and are broadly liberal in their outlook. Joy is a chaplain at the University of Kent and was inspired to come out by the BBC Radio Five Live presenter Stephanie Hirst. Joy has had a long journey with her wife and family, but says she has the backing of her Christian community who have been highly supportive and understanding or her transition. The reporting of the case has demonstrated the sorry state of the supposedly Christian media as well. The ultra-conservative Premier Christian Radio website was inundated with bizarre, inaccurate and transphobic messages about the Methodist Church's decision. However, we have linked to it, on our news page, so that you can argue with their readers should you wish. By contrast, Joy received a warm welcome by Kent Online, her local news website, which talked to her in detail and even the Daily Telegraph reported on the case in an even handed fashion.
https://www.premierchristianradio.com/News/UK/Methodist-Church-set-to-or...
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/first-transgender-minister-o...
