QUOTE TO NOTE: Transgender Gubernatorial Candidate Shares about Her Accepting Catholic Family
Vermont citizen Christine Hallquist made headlines earlier this year when she became the first transgender person chosen as a major political party’s gubernatorial candidate. In advance of November elections, in which she could become the United States’ first trans governor, Hallquist spoke to Vermont Business Magazine about being raised Catholic and having a supportive family:
Christine Hallquist
“‘I always thought I was a girl. . .I didn’t even know what the word ‘transgender’ was until I was 44 years old. It just wasn’t part of the language. I never lost faith in God. So I remember thinking [of abusive nuns at her Catholic school], “Forgive them Lord, for they not know not who I am.” I knew their actions were fear-based and had nothing to do with God. In eighth grade, the Monsignor called my parents and said. “I think your son needs an exorcism.” But my parents were awesome. They pulled us all out of Catholic School. That was an empowering moment. I knew I was loved.'”
Speaking to Haaretz, Hallquist added that her parents told school officials, “There is nothing wrong with our child.” She spoke too about her own faith life now:
“Hallquist emphasizes that even after all the changes she’s undergone, she sees herself as a religiously observant woman who believes wholeheartedly in the Trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. ‘I never stopped believing in Jesus,’ she says, adding, ‘But I also recognized that I am very much a person of science. The beauty of humans is that we can have faith and science in the same brain. Faith is not based on any science at all, faith is somewhat irrational.’ . . .Her faith, she says, boils down to three words: ‘God is love.’ Accordingly, ‘I evaluate everything based on those three words. Is this a loving act? If it’s a loving act, then you are doing the work of God. If it is hatred, murder, anything that deviates from love – it is bad.'”
Hallquist’s story confirms once again the key difference that LGBT-supportive Catholic families can make in a child’s life. Such affirmation leads to the development of a rich, lifelong spirituality rooted in God’s love, as is clearn in Hallquist’s life.
—Robert Shine, New Ways Ministry, September 23, 2018
Her faith, she says, boils down to three words: ‘God is love.’ Accordingly, ‘I evaluate everything based on those three words. Is this a loving act? If it’s a loving act, then you are doing the work of God. If it is hatred, murder, anything that deviates from love – it is bad.’”
Now juist imagine the kind of Governor Hallquist will make with this kind of personal philosophy applied to life nd politics in the State of Vermont! Wow…just wow!
I’m certainly glad she had a supportive family! And that family took her out of catholic school because the church condemned her. Not much has changed unfortunately. Today, however, Cardinal Cupich did remove from a parish in Chicago the priest who burned a rainbow flag that had once hung in his church after which he held an exorcism to cleanse the church. After he gets “help” I wonder what poor parish gets him next.
So happy to read this story. Thank God for all the wise parents who know and love their GLBTQ children despite the erroneous opinions of others. I hope Christine Hallquist wins the gubernatorial race.
This is a beautiful Sunday homily. Thank you.