Transgender Pacifism

A couple weeks ago, I met a very fascinating person.

 

A group of us were in downtown Portland, working with Bridgetown Ministries, and on our first day, we had to live homeless. It was a bit of a silly exercise, as we were returning to the home church that evening for dinner and a place to sleep. During the day, however, we had to get lunch at one of the many food shelters/soup kitchens in the city.

 

As I was standing in line at a neat little restaurant that served and waited on its (mostly) homeless patrons, I began chatting with the person behind me. With short cropped hair and denim attire, the middle-aged person identified himself as Lee, formerly Lisa, and was in fact a transgender person. Born as a woman named Lisa, Lee felt that he identified more as a male.

 

Lee was well spoken, clean, and did not embody any of the stereotypes that often accompany someone who lives on the streets. As we talked, it became apparent that this was going to be a conversation in which I did more listening than talking. I was fine with that—Lee had quite a story.

 

Lee, as Lisa, went to college and eventually got her Master’s degree so that she could become a teacher. She got outstanding grades throughout school and soon became a very good educator. She then officially came out as Lee. Lee was promptly fired from his teaching job and could not find work. Schools simply don’t hire people who are transgender.

 

Lee then began a crusade that got him national recognition. He filed lawsuits on transgender equality and won over $1 million. He began writing a blog, called “Not a Good Queer,” that is now on the Google “most-hit” list on five categories and is in syndication across the country.

 

As he was explaining all of this to me, my first inclination was to be very skeptical and assume that he was either lying or exaggerating multiple aspects of this story. I mean, why would a millionaire currently be eating at a street restaurant that serves the homeless?

 

I (more tactfully) asked as much. I could not have imagined the response.

 

Lee is a lifelong pacifist. So when the United States invaded Iraq, he made the decision that not a single penny of his money was going to pay for the war. He kept his laptop—he updates his blog at libraries and other places with free wireless internet. He then chose a homeless lifestyle so that no property or income taxes could go to the government to pay for the war. He sleeps, with his dog, in a bicycle trailer. He eats at homeless shelters and soup kitchens.

 

I have no idea what Lee has done with the money from the lawsuits, but he is in the middle of another one, and I imagine that most of the money is going toward the legal fees that are incurred when an individual takes it upon himself to get legislation changed through the court system. As he was explaining all of this, I was almost in awe. It led me to think about my dedication (or lack thereof) to certain things in my life.

 

What if those of us (especially me) who call themselves followers of God showed a fraction of the conviction and dedication that Lee shows? I don’t know that I have ever been witness to such a radical life alteration. Imagine what the church would look like if all of those who call themselves Christians (“little Christs”) were willing to make such a sacrifice? What would my life be like if I was willing to make such sacrifices for my beliefs?

 

Lee’s story is both inspiring and challenging: his lawsuits have changed the landscape of transgender inequality. Companies in Oregon are no longer allowed to discriminate against transgender employees. And he keeps fighting for the rights of people like himself so that they may not have to deal with the same things that he went through as a teacher.

 

And he has accomplished all of this while living out of a little bicycle trailer. While spending cold nights at homeless shelters. While eating at soup kitchens.

 

As we ate our lunch, Lee and I moved into other topics of discussion, from politics to sports to Jesus. And I explained what I believe about Jesus—that, despite what many say, Jesus loves him just as much as he loves me. That Jesus stood for peace and nonviolence, just like Lee does. That Jesus is very proud of his willingness to upend his life so that he can exemplify true peace.

 

And I told Lee that he was an inspiration to those of us who don’t dedicate our entire selves to the faith that we profess.

 

Would I be willing to live homeless for Christ, if that is what he desired? Would I be willing to upend my entire life to fulfill what Christ has called us me do? I hope that someday I can live such dedication and conviction, and not just sit and write about it.

 

**Immediately after I got back to the church, I looked up Lee’s blog. Everything in his story that was verifiable rang true. As far as I can tell, he did not even exaggerate any aspect of his story.