A married father-of-two has become the Methodist Church’s first transgender minister after coming out to a congregation in the U.K. Joy Everingham, a 46-year-old university chaplain who serves at St. Peter’s in Canterbury, revealed plans to come out as transgender to church elders before becoming ordained last summer and receiving their support. Later, Everingham made the decision to come out to the congregation,
The Telegraph reported on Friday, becoming the first transgender person appointed as a minister with the church’s knowledge. Everingham revealed struggles with gender identity for over 40 years, applying lipstick and wearing women’s clothes in secret. Everingham became a Christian at age 15, describing it as a life-changing experience, and later got married at the age of 22. Ruth, Everingham’s wife, was unaware of the secret life her husband was living for eight years, in which time the couple had their first child. READ MORE
