“VOICES OF WITNESS: OUT-OF-THE-BOX”
Transgender 101 – Integrity Delaware Spring Retreat
Integrity Delaware, an Episcopal Church LGBT
advocacy group, is hosting a spring retreat April 19th & 20th exploring
the world of transgendered people. The retreat will begin with the film “Voices
of Witnesses: Out-ofthe-Box” produced by IntegrityUSA. This film is a
groundbreaking documentary giving voice to the witness of transgender people of
faith courageously sharing their stories of hope, healing and wholeness.
Retreat leaders are Vivian Taylor and Donna Cartwright, who are transgendered
women, and who will share stories of their journey transitioning from male to
female. The retreat will also include a Q & A period, worship, and
socializing.
Viv Taylor is a writer, activist, and avid
Sung Compline promoter currently living in Boston, MA. She served in the War in
Iraq from 2009-2010 and writes about her experiences in war, being a veteran, and
being a transgender Christian. Ms. Taylor started transitioning in earnest when
she returned to Chapel Hill after serving as a Chaplain’s Assistant with the
Army in Iraq. Taylor was part of IntegrityUSA and TransEpiscopal (a
transgendered online support group), and their successful advocacy effort at
the Episcopal Church’s General Convention in 2012. She offered powerful
testimony in support of resolutions that added "gender identity and
expression" to The Episcopal Church's nondiscrimination canons on lay and
ordained ministry.
Donna Cartwright, is an Episcopal layperson
in Baltimore Maryland, where she attends St. Bartholomew's church. For many
years an agnostic, she came to faith through her transgender journey, joining
the Episcopal Church in 2000 in the Diocese of Newark. She was the first trans
person to join the Commission (governing body) of The Oasis, the LGBT ministry
of that diocese, and served on it until she moved to Baltimore in 2006. She was
a co-founder of TransEpiscopal in 2005, and helped lead TransEpiscopal efforts
at General Conventions 2006, 2009 and 2012.
The
retreat will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church, 18 Olive Avenue, Rehoboth
Beach, from 3:00pm, Friday April 19 through Saturday, April 20th at
4pm. Registration for the retreat may be made online at www.integritydelaware.org.
The cost of the retreat is $75/per person. Discount rooms available at the
Boardwalk Plaza Hotel (302) 227-7169 (ask for Integrity Group Rate), and the
Atlantic Sands Hotel, call 1-800-422-0660 (Ask for Integrity Block #7059). For
additional information call Rita Nelson (302) 945-7520 or Elizabeth Kaeton
(302) 231-8246.