The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has updated its General Handbook with new policies that impose additional restrictions on transgender individuals. These changes, which include barring members of the transgender community from working with children or serving as teachers, have raised concerns within the LGBTQ community.
On Monday, the LDS Church announced these new policies, which clarify the roles and participation of transgender individuals within the church. According to the updated guidelines, individuals who undergo surgical, medical, or social transition away from their biological sex at birth are now prohibited from being baptized, serving in gender-specific roles such as priests, working with children or youth, and teaching within the church.
The updated policies restrict transgender members from attending overnight church activities that are open to both men and women. Transgender individuals may only participate in gender-specific activities that align with their biological sex at birth. For instance, a transgender woman would only be allowed to attend camps designated for men.
The church defines social transition as the act of identifying with a gender other than one’s biological sex, which includes adopting the dress and pronouns associated with the opposite gender.
According to the LDS Church, these changes aim to provide clear guidance for local leaders on matters such as baptism, confirmation, priesthood ordinances, and temple ordinances. The church states that the updates are intended to help leaders minister effectively to transgender members and their families while maintaining consistency in policies across the organization.
While the LDS Church welcomes transgender members, their membership records may be marked similarly to those of individuals who have committed serious offenses such as child abuse. This annotation can lead to significant restrictions on participation in church sacraments.
One of the new policies also addresses restroom use, stating that transgender individuals should use a private restroom whenever possible. If a private restroom is not available, they may use a restroom that corresponds to their gender identity, provided that a trusted individual ensures no one else is present at the same time.
These updated policies have sparked debate within both the LGBTQ community and among some church members, who argue that they contribute to stigmatization and penalization of transgender individuals seeking to live authentically and participate in their faith community.
Tyler Lefevor, a therapist and researcher who identifies as non-cisgender and was raised in the church, described the updated policies as “really unfortunate.”
“This is the church’s way of saying, ‘No, this is how we want you to conform,’” Lefevor told CNN. “The greatest harm is the implication that the church is sending to transgender members, essentially saying, ‘We don’t really want you here unless you conform to these very specific expectations.’ That, to me, is the most damaging aspect of these new updates.”
