we are farandolae

in the form and figure

of Godlyverse

-

the human family is a human body

is a body of Christ is a body of

bread and spirit of water, borne out

on the tides and shores and ebbs and flows of the body of our

MotherFatherGod. and el’s spirit breathes in us

-

life, and life

crawls out the sea and

lurches wet from saltwater wombs

-

it’s eggs and chickens and

eggs and mammals in all the ways

(downwards, upwards, onwards);

still fish / fishers / fished,

and still sea of Galilee,

(be still)

somehow, within:

…

Lights shone down onto the concrete stage, music chirped to life, and all — except one — of the tutu-adorned toddlers began their ungraceful dance.

In full view of a captive audience of beaming adults, I plopped myself belly-down onto the floor. My little round face rested in my cupped hands as I kicked one leg and then the other, back and forth, and watched the rest of my class perform.

This non-conformity was no isolated incident. In kindergarten, I went through a phase of signing all my papers as “Robert.” (I don’t remember why; I don’t feel like a…

First published in the Salt Lake Tribune, 25 June 2020

—

From the outside, my family seems perfectly “Mormon.” With two darling kids, and a husband sporting BYU blue, you wouldn’t look twice if you passed us at Costco.

But here’s my secret: I’m transgender.

For years, I gave my best performance of “being a girl.” I wasn’t completely convincing. My tomboyish ways and bedraggled style often garnered teasing and disapproval. But I still must have been close enough that no one questioned me marrying a man for time and all eternity.

In the sealing room of the Salt Lake…

Here’s the address I wrote to commemorate this weekend’s Latter-day Saint general conference 🌝

•••

gospel topic / sabbath school for today:

the New Testament is what happened after a lot of people met this very intriguing “miniature professor,” who gave lectures and recitations about his favorite bedtime stories / superhero escapades / sci-fi movies in the marketplace; a sweet little Jewish boy with curly hair and big brown eyes and dusty skin, who defied their gender norms (he insisted he was a GIRL chicken, a MOMMA hen), led a bunch of scrappy rascally anti-establishment type teenagers around and called…