LOVEboldly Condemns Supreme Court Decision Upholding Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2025

WESTERVILLE, OH — Today, the Supreme Court allowed a lower court ruling in United States v. Skrmetti to stand, effectively upholding Tennessee’s ban on life-saving, evidence-based gender-affirming care for transgender youth. LOVEboldly condemns this decision as a tragic step backward for justice, compassion, and the dignity of God’s beloved children.

The ruling will have devastating consequences for countless transgender youth and their families—not only in Tennessee, but across the country as other states are emboldened to follow suit. By upholding this ban, the Court has chosen fear over love, ideology over science, and exclusion over the inclusive call of the Gospel.

“As Christians and as people of faith, we are called to guard the vulnerable, to speak up for the marginalized, and to embody the radical love of Jesus Christ,” said the Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp, Executive Director of LOVEboldly. “Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves—not to legislate them out of existence. This decision will harm children. It will harm families. It force more families to make the impossible decision between their homes and communities and the health and wellness of their children. It will continue to tell Trans youth that their is something wrong with being who God created them to be.”

Scripture compels us to act in times of injustice. The prophet Micah reminds us that God requires us “to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NRSV). In Galatians 3:28, we are assured that in Christ “there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one.” These sacred truths affirm the full humanity and divine worth of our transgender siblings.

The Court's ruling also sends a chilling message to LGBTQIA+ people of faith that their existence is incompatible with the faith traditions they cherish. LOVEboldly rejects this message. We believe that transgender people are wonderfully and fearfully made in the image of God (Psalm 139), and that nothing—not courts, not lawmakers, not public opinion—can separate them from the love of God.

LOVEboldly calls on Christians everywhere to stand with transgender youth and their families. We will not be silent. We will not give up. We will continue to walk with Transgender youth, Transgender adults, and their families, offering compassion and solidarity rooted in Jesus' love.

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For media inquiries or interviews, please contact:

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

Executive Director, LOVEboldly

press@loveboldly.net | www.loveboldly.net

A Rich Tapestry

Monday, June 16, 2025

Happy Pride and Happy Monday, my friends! Last week we celebrated the Second Annual Interfaith Pride Service. Having already outgrown space at Stonewall Columbus, we held the service at the new Fran Ryan Center in east Columbus. This decidedly “secular” space was the perfect environment to bring together Christians, Jews, Muslims, Druids, practitioners of Stregheria[1], Buddhists, Humanists, people of other faith backgrounds, spiritual seekers, skeptics, and people still making sense of what it means to be LGBTQIA+ and a person of faith. While many of the people in that space had experienced varying degrees of religious trauma, many had also reclaimed their religious and spiritual practices or had found new, more affirming practices.

One of our speakers, the Rev. Jan Avende, a Druid priest from Three Cranes Grove ADF in Columbus, OH, and the ArchDruid of ADF[2], wore a coat[3] in a rainbow quilt of colors. That garment became for me a metaphor for the service and what I hope to see in the world. Bishop John Shelby Spong said, “I honor my tradition, I walk through my tradition, but I don't think my tradition defines God, I think it only points me to God.” Christianity is my tradition and though I explored other traditions, I continually have come back to Christianity. I find truth in other traditions. My vision of the kin-dom of God includes people of different faiths and traditions because, ultimately, I believe that all of our traditions point to the same God, regardless of what we call that divinity or ultimate reality.

In her closing remarks, LOVEboldly’s board chair, Siobhan Boyd-Nelson, spoke about the need for prayer, in all its forms, at this moment of our history. She reflected how the service demonstrated that there are many ways to pray. However you pray, reflect, put intentions and energy into the world, even if it only makes you feel more grounded, prayer is important.

How do you pray? How has prayer changed for you?

Let us pray: God of many names, source of love, in this season of Pride, we celebrate the beautiful diversity of creation and the courage of those who live authentically. We ask for your protective embrace around our beautiful LGBTQIA+ family. Wrap us in safety. Shield us from harm. Surround us with communities that cherish our wholeness. May we find refuge in love when the world feels hostile. Bless the allies who stand alongside us, using their voices to create more loving, affirming spaces. Help us all be instruments of your love. We give thanks for those who have dared to live openly: those who paved difficult paths and those just now discovering their authentic selves. May each person know they are beloved exactly as they are. Grant us strength to create a world where every person can live freely, love openly, and celebrate the unique gifts they bring to our human family. We pray in your many names, our liberator. Amen.

Blessings on your weeks, my friends! Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Faithfully,

Ben +

[1] Stregheria is a form of Paganism with roots in Southern Italy and among people with Southern Italian heritage.

[2] ADF is a Druid organization similar to a denomination.

[3] I admit my ignorance in calling their outfit a “coat.” The garment may have a special name in the Druid tradition, and I apologize for not knowing that name. This would be like someone calling a cassock a “robe” or, much worse, someone calling a chasuble a “poncho.”

Freedom is Our Birthright

Sunday, June 15, 2025

The Rev. Dr. Charles L. A. Watterson (he/they)

Associate Pastor, Rivers of Living Water Ministries, NY/NJ

Queer Christian

For freedom, Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1).

As we approach Juneteenth, we stand at the intersection of Black liberation and Pride. This moment invites us to reflect on freedom—freedom from oppression, from the violence of white supremacy, from heteronormativity, and the limitations imposed on our identities. Juneteenth is a celebration of the emancipation of Black bodies, while Pride is a declaration of the freedom of Queer souls. Both remind us of our divine right to live fully and freely, for we are HUMANLY DIVINE.

Jesus’ ministry was about liberation. He preached that we are free to live abundantly in God’s love. As Queer Christians, our lives are testimonies to the freedom that Jesus spoke of—a freedom that transcends societal structures and empowers us to flourish as our whole selves.

The road to liberation is ongoing, both spiritually and socially. On this Sunday before Juneteenth, let us

proclaim our freedom unapologetically. Let us honor those who came before us, who fought for the dignity of Black and Queer people and commit to building a world where all can thrive.

Reflection

How does your faith inspire you to live freely and authentically?

What areas of your life still need to experience liberation, and how can you invite God into that process?

Action

This week, participate in or support a local Juneteenth or Pride event. Engage with the community and reflect on the intersections of freedom in your own life. Consider how you can advocate for others who have yet to experience full liberation.