This is Part 2 of a 2-part conversation. Listen to Part 1 here.
Katherine Herrmann lists all things Apple, new wave/alternative music, and fantasy/science fiction among her fandoms. She works as a principal software engineer/architect for a video streaming company, and recently published TransLucent: How I put off my natural man and found a spiritual woman. At church, she has served as secretary for deacons, teachers, and priests quorums, as a Sunday School and elders quorum teacher, elders quorum secretary, ward executive secretary, newsletter editor, and assistant ward clerk—historian. She has also hugged a lot of people at general conference, and bore her testimony in over 40 wards in three years.
Highlights
00:20 The argument many are having is whether or not to let young teens transition and have transition surgery. Katherine shares some useful perspectives.
07:45 Katherine’s teenage years, pressure to go on a mission, and being suicidal.
13:30 Does transition help suicide ideation? Some things that help suicide ideation are affirming who people are and using their preferred pronouns.
15:45 Being shunned for being transgender. How can we help transgender individuals? What can leaders do?
20:15 The actual Church handbook and Church policies allow transgender to attend all meetings that they identify with. However, a lot of local leaders are biased and won’t allow them to go.
24:30 Advice for leaders on letting transgender individuals go to Relief Society or priesthood meetings. Many individuals have felt uncomfortable with her going to Eelief Society so she gets kicked out to make others comfortable.
29:20 How would Jesus treat a transgender individual? Where would He let them worship?
33:30 Making tough decisions as a leader. You are never going to make everyone happy. Katherine wasn’t able to have a calling because people would object to it. It was another way she felt rejected.
37:20 People say that being transgender is a trial. The difference is that transgender people don’t have any support from church leaders, ministering sisters, home teachers, or callings. There is no one to lean on in the trials.
39:30 Is being transgender a mental illness and in the after life it will be worked out?
44:30 Our genders are eternal. But how does that relate to our body? Katherine shares a real-world example of genetic issues that occur.
55:00 For the majority of people your eternal gender is the gender that you were assigned at birth but what about transgender individuals? Is it possible that their spirit and body are different genders?
1:04:15 Katherine goes into dating her former wife, getting married, having seven kids, and church callings.
1:11:30 Katherine stands outside general conference with a sign that says, “Hug a transgender Latter-day Saint.”
1:14:30 President Oaks is Katherine’s favorite apostle.
1:17:45 Where does affirming a transgender individual become condoning? What are the lines that we are condoning?
1:29:20 Katherine talks about her book. She wants people to understand her life experiences and what she has gone through as a transgender individual.
Links
Listen to Part 1
TransLucent: How I put off my natural man and discovered a spiritual woman
Facebook page: TransLucent
North Star Saints
Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast
Watch on YouTube
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I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME IS ALL HUMAN BEINGS, NO MATTER HOW THEY IDENTIFY, ARE CHILDREN OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND ALL DESERVE TO BE LOVED AND SHOWN RESPECT.
Loved both parts, great episodes. She is wonderful and I loved listening to her experience and testimony.
Kurt and Katherine, thank you so much for doing this podcast. I loved listening and hearing Katherine’s experience. It so helpful to hear from someone with her perspective and background. It helps me break down stigmas and love more unconditionally. Thank you!
What a remarkable and truly eye-opening and faithful perspective. Katherine is an inspiring example of faithfulness, testimony, and sustaining of church leaders in the midst of some deeply personal challenges. Of course, it’s not important that we agree on all the details – it’s important that we love and seek to follow the example of the Savior in our dealings with each other.
Thank you for introducing me to Katherine through this podcast, and thank you (and thank you, Katherine) for teaching me about ministering to and understanding transgender children of our Heavenly Parents, and highlighting the examples of senior Church leaders in effective ministering.
This has given me a lot to think about.