A New York pastor has left members of her congregation stunned after publicly announcing that she is transitioning into a woman and will now use she/her pronouns.
Reverend Phil Phaneuf, 51, made the revelation during Sunday service at North Chili United Methodist Church (UMC), sharing that she has been undergoing a gender transition.
“I get to announce with joy that I am transitioning. I am affirming and saying to all of you that I am transgender,” the veteran pastor declared while wearing a rainbow stole. “The best way to put this is that I’m not becoming a woman, I’m giving up pretending to be a man.”
Phaneuf also revealed that her new name will be Phillippa Faye Phaneuf, though she will continue to go by Reverend Phil.
“I’m not going to be the pronoun police,” she told the congregation. “I don’t think anybody will misgender or mis-pronoun out of malice.”
The pastor noted that the only changes related to her transition will be physical ones, sharing that she has already been on hormone replacement therapy for about three months. She assured church members that her faith and service remain unwavering.
“My commitment to Jesus Christ and to the ministry will remain the same,” Phaneuf emphasized.
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