Dear Pope Francis, August 23, 2016
This is actually the fifth letter that I have sent to you in the last six months. To be honest, I am fairly doubtful about getting a response this time, too. I just wanted to explain the angry tone in my very first letter to you. (I later apologized for that tone.) That anger was born of pain, fear and frustration. Most transgender folks regularly fear for their lives and have little hope of attaining anything close to a happy, fulfilling life. In this country, as well as in most of the world, we are the victims of violence and other forms of abuse at an obscene per capita rate. It’s a worse rate in comparison to just about any other demographic group.
Nobody just up and chooses to be transgender, it is a proven physiologically based part of who we are. Were you aware that you can find naturally occurring, ambiguous gender variance as well as sexuality variance as a part of the rest of the animal and plant world? Is it possible that there are aspects of the mystery of God that you haven’t completely unraveled yet? Please open your heart to us?
The words that you speak carry great weight and power throughout this world. I wish to humbly ask of you that you not contribute to the danger and pain that my community faces on a daily basis. Would you ever consider having a series of conversations with someone who is transgender? May God Bless You!
In God’s Love,
Rhiannon Tibbetts (I included a picture here)(I’ll turn 58 Years old in September)
Rhiannon's Beautiful Gift 