National Cathedral Welcomes First Openly Transgender Priest to Pulpit

Washington D.C.’s National Cathedral welcomed Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge to preach on Sunday; it was the first time that the historic church permitted an openly transgender priest to speak at the pulpit. 

Partridge, the Episcopal chaplain of Boston University, was invited to speak as a celebration of LGBT month. The service included prayers from members of the LGBT community. 

National Cathedral dean Very Rev. Gary Hall said the church wants “to send a symbolic message in support of greater equality for the transgender community.” 

Hall said lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people "suffer from acts of violence, discrimination, unemployment, homelessness, and financial inequality. We at Washington National Cathedral are striving to send a message of love and affirmation, especially to LGBT youth who suffer daily because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. We want to proclaim to them as proudly and unequivocally as we can: Your gender identity is good and your sexual orientation is good because that's the way that God made you."

The National Cathedral ruled last year that same-sex marriages would be permitted in the building. 

Publication date: June 23, 2014