Celeste Irwin | Trans and Christian

In this episode of the Untidy Faith Podcast, I sit down with Celeste Irwin for an honest conversation about what it’s like to be trans in Christian spaces—from childhood shame over “transy thoughts” with no language for them, to losing every friend when coming out, to discovering that transition feels like being literally raised to life.Celeste Irwin is a transgender, lesbian woman and a survivor of a spiritually abusive evangelical church network. She’s written in-depth about her experiences in that network, and she now writes and speaks about issues affecting transgender people, including queer inclusion in Christian spaces.Topics Covered* Why even as a child Celeste knew “this is the thing I can’t confess”—different from sins you talk about in small group, this was something that would “really mess stuff up” if she stared at it too long* The cost of exile like losing most friends when leaving evangelicalism, then losing the rest when coming out as trans* What churches miss without trans people:* Why queer exclusion is spiritual abuse* The three things Celeste is tired of saying but will say for us anyway: * How the movie Moana captures trans joy bestTimestamps: 02:00 Primary School “Transy Thoughts” and Unconfessable Shame 10:00 The Cost of Exile: Losing 20-Year Friendships 14:00 What the Church Loses Without the Trans Limb 22:00 Names, Identity, and “Your Identity Should Be in Christ” 28:00 Three Things Celeste Is Tired of Saying (But Will Say Again) 36:00 Why Becoming Affirming Requires Actual Repentance 40:00 What Intellectual Arguments Miss: The People 46:00 Trans Joy: Skirt Go Spinny and Te Fiti’s Heart Restored 54:00 What a Church That Genuinely Welcomes Trans People Looks Like 58:00 The Pride Month Challenge: Education Work RequiredLinkshttps://www.celestefinally.com https://www.youtube.com/@Celestial-Navigation https://www.notovercome.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kateboyd.substack.com/subscribe