Trans woman refused baptism ‘unless she grew a beard and wore trousers’
A trans woman claims a church pastor told her she could only be baptised if she ‘grew a beard’ and ‘wore trousers’.
Joann Carver, 74, says the shocking remarks were made in June last year at the Lighthouse Church in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
The actor – who has appeared in TV dramas including The Bill, Holby City and Doctors – said she was left hurt by the comments.
She said: ‘I was just completely baffled and very, very hurt. The long-lasting effects of it are all still with me.’
Responding to the claims, the church said it does ‘not recognise the characterisation of the pastoral conversation’.
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A spokesperson said ‘leaders acted in good faith’, adding: ‘As a Christian community, we affirm the historic biblical teaching that sex is biological and a good gift from God.’
Ms Carver said: ‘Up to that point, I had felt quite safe going out in Ely, but I felt so ashamed after being treated like that I began to stay in a lot more.
‘It’s really quite sad because I miss the Lighthouse and it was an uplifting place to be, but only if you’re willing to conform to their un-Christian attitude.’
Ms Carver joined the congregation after undergoing gender-affirming surgery in 2022 and said she had previously felt welcomed by church leaders.
But she claimed the situation changed when she asked to be baptised last year.
The 74-year-old later quit the church along with her partner, saying she believed she had been subjected to ‘discrimination’ and ‘transphobia’.
She said: ‘I felt very welcome here as a member of the church and I enjoyed the services, the prayers and there were some very good sermons.
‘My partner Hannah had been going to the church for well over 20 years and knew the pastors extremely well.
‘They knew she was a lesbian after some time, she wasn’t ashamed to tell them, and they didn’t reject her for it.’
Ms Carver says she later took part in the church’s Alpha course and had hoped to be baptised in 2024.
However, she claimed she was the only participant who was not baptised.
She said: ‘They’d asked people who were interested in being baptised to come forward so, of course, once again, I did as they said.
‘They said to come and sit with them, and we had a little chat during which they said they couldn’t baptise me.
‘When I asked them why, they told me I was sinning as a trans woman and because I was living in sin with my partner.’
Ms Carver added: ‘This is a person that had previously been very friendly towards me and never seemed to reject me for being trans, so I was absolutely gobsmacked.
‘The last thing they said to me was that they wanted to see that I was willing to make a change and prepared to repent.’
She said a follow-up meeting was arranged a week later after her partner asked what changes were expected.
Ms Carver added: ‘They said I should come to church in trousers and grow a beard.’
After lodging a formal complaint, Ms Carver said she received an apology from the pastor but alleged she heard nothing further from the church.
A spokesperson for the church said: ‘In accordance with our calling as Christians and our belief in Biblical truth, Lighthouse Church welcomes all people and is committed to treating everyone with love, dignity and respect as humans made in the image of God.
‘We are aware of the concerns raised, but we do not recognise the characterisation of the pastoral conversation described.
‘Our leaders acted in good faith and with sincere pastoral intent throughout.
‘As a Christian community, we affirm the historic biblical teaching that sex is biological and a good gift from God.’
They added: ‘Our convictions are long-held, consistent, and shape how we approach baptism and discipleship.
‘Upholding these beliefs and acting in accordance with them is promoting God’s best for people and part of our pastoral responsibility before God.
‘We continue to desire peace and reconciliation for all involved, and we pray that each person experiences the grace and nearness of God.’
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