Earlier this month, the Rev. Gwen Fry, priest of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine and TransEpiscopal Steering Committee member, testified at a Judiciary Committee hearing in opposition to eight bills now before the Maine legislature that would roll back trans civil rights protections. These bills emerged in the wake of the February National Governors Association confrontation between the President of the United States and the Governor of Maine over the state's nondiscrimination protections. Read Equality Maine’s information for taking action on the proposed legislation here and the ACLU’s account of the legislative hearing and its political backdrop here.
****
The Rev. Gwen Fry
Brunswick, Maine
May 8, 2025
Senator Carney, Representative Kuhn, and Honorable Members of the Judiciary Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to address the Committee regarding the human rights of transgender Mainers.
I am The Rev. Gwen Fry. I’m a resident of Brunswick. I am an Episcopal Priest who also happens to be transgender. I’m currently serving St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Waterville as their Priest in Charge and I am here on behalf of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine and the transgender community.
I rise in opposition to the bills before the committee today because I have personally experienced the devastating effects of not having the basic rights and protections afforded most people.
I came out and socially transitioned in Little Rock, Arkansas 11 years ago. I have experienced being ignored by people working in restaurants and department stores. I have been the recipient of hateful speech and death threats. I have been stalked by a person in my neighborhood. I didn’t reach out for help because the trans community has learned that it is not safe to get the authorities involved because of the abuse and assaults perpetrated on trans people, particularly transgender women, by those in authority. That is a major reason why I left the state of Arkansas and relocated to Maine. I saw that the trans community was protected from discrimination under the nondiscrimination laws here in our state.
It is also here in the Diocese of Maine that I have been able to return to serve a parish after eight years of not being able to serve a congregation because of discrimination for being my authentic self. Because of the expansive theology of The Episcopal Church, I found a home here in the Diocese of Maine. I have been given the opportunity to exercise my ministry because of the inclusion of gender identity and gender expression in the Episcopal Church’s non discrimination canons. I believe this inclusion is an extension of the church’s baptismal vow to respect the dignity of every human being. I am honored to serve in a church that feeds the hungry and affirms and celebrates the outcast.
My church and now my state protects the trans community. I no longer live in fear to leave my house like I did in Arkansas because of the protections afforded me here in Maine. If these eight bills pass, I fear we will be taking giant steps backwards and my small community will experience the same discrimination and oppression I fled by moving to Maine.
As Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde preached in January, “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.” I ask that the state I have chosen to call home choose mercy over oppression and discrimination against a small, extremely vulnerable, population. I ask that you respect the dignity of all of us in the transgender community. All of these anti-transgender bills are solutions in search of a “problem” that doesn’t exist.
If this bill passes, Maine will be on the fast track to mirroring the oppression and ostracization of transgender people – just like Arkansas has. We are not Arkansas. We are a state who prides itself on the adage of live and let live. In the name of the One who fearlessly and wonderfully created me just as I am, I urge you to vote “Ought not to Pass” on these bills.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my perspective and experiences with the Committee.
****
The Rev. Gwen Fry
Brunswick, Maine
May 8, 2025
Senator Carney, Representative Kuhn, and Honorable Members of the Judiciary Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to address the Committee regarding the human rights of transgender Mainers.
I am The Rev. Gwen Fry. I’m a resident of Brunswick. I am an Episcopal Priest who also happens to be transgender. I’m currently serving St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Waterville as their Priest in Charge and I am here on behalf of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine and the transgender community.
I rise in opposition to the bills before the committee today because I have personally experienced the devastating effects of not having the basic rights and protections afforded most people.
I came out and socially transitioned in Little Rock, Arkansas 11 years ago. I have experienced being ignored by people working in restaurants and department stores. I have been the recipient of hateful speech and death threats. I have been stalked by a person in my neighborhood. I didn’t reach out for help because the trans community has learned that it is not safe to get the authorities involved because of the abuse and assaults perpetrated on trans people, particularly transgender women, by those in authority. That is a major reason why I left the state of Arkansas and relocated to Maine. I saw that the trans community was protected from discrimination under the nondiscrimination laws here in our state.
It is also here in the Diocese of Maine that I have been able to return to serve a parish after eight years of not being able to serve a congregation because of discrimination for being my authentic self. Because of the expansive theology of The Episcopal Church, I found a home here in the Diocese of Maine. I have been given the opportunity to exercise my ministry because of the inclusion of gender identity and gender expression in the Episcopal Church’s non discrimination canons. I believe this inclusion is an extension of the church’s baptismal vow to respect the dignity of every human being. I am honored to serve in a church that feeds the hungry and affirms and celebrates the outcast.
My church and now my state protects the trans community. I no longer live in fear to leave my house like I did in Arkansas because of the protections afforded me here in Maine. If these eight bills pass, I fear we will be taking giant steps backwards and my small community will experience the same discrimination and oppression I fled by moving to Maine.
As Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde preached in January, “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.” I ask that the state I have chosen to call home choose mercy over oppression and discrimination against a small, extremely vulnerable, population. I ask that you respect the dignity of all of us in the transgender community. All of these anti-transgender bills are solutions in search of a “problem” that doesn’t exist.
If this bill passes, Maine will be on the fast track to mirroring the oppression and ostracization of transgender people – just like Arkansas has. We are not Arkansas. We are a state who prides itself on the adage of live and let live. In the name of the One who fearlessly and wonderfully created me just as I am, I urge you to vote “Ought not to Pass” on these bills.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my perspective and experiences with the Committee.
RSS Feed