Today, the Supreme Court upheld the rights of transgender students to use the bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.
Rev. Serene Jones, president of Union Theological Seminary — a progressive religious institution with many LGBTQ students — issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision:
“As the leader of an institution with many LGBTQ students, we are deeply relieved that the Supreme Court has upheld the right of transgender students to use a bathroom that matches their gender identity. The decision affirms Union’s fundamental belief that God loves and embraces all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“But despite today’s victory, the sad reality is that transgender people are still under attack across the nation because of an organized, systemic campaign of hatred and bigotry driven by a constellation of far-right religious groups and politicians. In state after state, conservative lawmakers — backed by right-wing Christian leaders — are passing legislation denying transgender people the right to receive gender-affirming care, participate in sports, and more.
“Weaponizing faith to undermine the rights of transgender people is fundamentally against the word of God. Our scripture professes love and acceptance, not hate and bigotry.”