Rabbi Elliot Kukla

This current moment of anti-trans backlash is often framed as a clash between traditional religious values and new-fangled ideas about gender. However, gender creativity exists all over the world and through-out history within traditional religious texts and spiritual practices. In this session, I tell my own story as the first openly transgender rabbi ordained by a movement in Judaism. I have written prayers for sanctifying gender non-conforming lives that are used by all non-orthodox branches of Judaism. We will explore how to sanctify lifecycle moments that are unique to queer, trans and nonbinary people such as coming out, transitioning or moving to a less anti-queer city, as well as rituals for our everyday lives. This session leaves audiences with the spiritual tools to bring holiness to our lives and dispel stigma and shame.