Beloved Arise Names 10 Queer Youth Leaders of Faith Ahead of Queer Youth of Faith Day

According to The Trevor Project, one in five LGBTQ youth states that their faith is an important part of who they are. In the wake of so much evangelical extremism expressing anti-LGBTQ sentiment in the U.S., queer youth who remain close to their faith oftentimes feel silenced and marginalized within religious communities. Many of these trans and queer youth of faith end up feeling just as lost and shamed as peers who do not follow any specific faith.

Beloved Arise, a faith-based nonprofit seeks to embrace those queer youth who are grappling with the lack of acceptance they experience within their own religious communities. The organization is the first in the queer space to empower youth to embrace both their faith and their queer identity. Beloved Arise seeks to bridge the gap with queer youth of faith embracing “every young life who has been condemned or cast out.”

With that mission in mind, Beloved Arise set out to amplify the stories of 10 queer youth of faith who are leaders and change makers within their communities. These youth are from all different walks of faith and diverse backgrounds. Many have been shunned by those in the religious communities where they grew up, yet they have decided to be the change they wish to see. From 100 essays received, these are the 10 queer youth of faith selected to be highlighted by Beloved Arise.

Meg Morris (Name Changed for Confidentiality) (she/her)/Muslim            

Meg felt lost because the Muslim community claims that being trans or gay is a sin, but she has realized that other people’s perceptions of her faith don’t matter. Now, she proudly embraces her faith and sexuality.

 Avery Anderson (she/her)/Christian         

Avery’s mother tried to “fix” her by taking her to church. She had a fear that God would disown her for being different, but in time, God taught her that she was never a person who needed to be “fixed.”

Ceaje (Siege) Hicks (he/they)/Lakota             

Ceaje was raised as both Christian and Lakota, and spirituality left him feeling ostracized. In time, Ceaje found more belonging with Lakota, and he now understands that life goes on no matter how people view him for who he is and what he believes in. Now, he lives in harmony with the world and his place in it.

Jainyn Boyd (she/her)/Buddhism       

Before Jainyn discovered Buddhism, she felt restricted by the Mormon religion and repressed her genuine self. Buddhism is helping Jainyn find the power within herself and nurture it to allow for spiritual growth and humanistic development.

 James Barnes (him/him)/Religious Society of Friends, Quakers  

At 13, when James came out as transgender, religion was the farthest thing from his mind. He was battling dysphoria, anorexia, and self-harm. In a time of despair, James discovered the Religious Society of Friends and immediately felt at peace and at home. He is fully embraced for who he is and how he identifies.

Lailen Buckman (they/them)/Judaism           

Lailen is Jewish, nonbinary, and proud, but it wasn’t always this way. Growing up, Lailen struggled with social needs and religious beliefs. One day, Lailen’s sister shared a story about a Holocaust survivor standing true to their faith, and Lailen decided to stand steadfast in their beliefs, too. Now, despite the jokes, Lailen refuses to hide their identity.

Leanna Cheeseman (they/them)/Judaism           

Leanna feels empowered as she has been able to be queer and practice Judaism, something that was looked down upon for years. Every time she touches the Star of David necklace passed down to her from her family, she feels a direct connection that goes back four generations, from her grandmother’s mother who fled Poland for America before the Holocaust, to who she is now, discovering her nonbinary identity.

Madeline Smith (she/her)/Christian         

Madeline doesn’t think faith or sexuality is something you should have to hide, so she felt torn because she thought she needed to be straight in order to go to Heaven. In time, she realized that she didn’t need someone else to interpret God’s word for her. Through her journey, she has only gotten closer to God and her faith.

Ria Saxena (any pronouns)/Sikhism           

Ria was raised both Hindu and Sikh, something that always felt like trying to combine water and oil. Ria felt conflicted between being genderfluid and trying to connect with religion, until one day Sikhism inspired Ria to become involved in volunteer work and dedicate time to serving humanity.

Shayna Javaherian (she/her)/Rabbinic Judaism         

Shayna always struggled with how her identity fits into her religious beliefs, but she has learned to fully embrace that she is autistic, aromantic, and asexual.

There is a Queer Youth of Faith Day (QYFDAY) scheduled for June 30. This is a multi-faith celebration of LGBTQ youth of faith. Find out more information here.

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