God Gets Vulnerable: A trans & autistic look at Elijah and the "still small voice"

Avery was delighted to be on their friend Laura's Autistic Liberation Theology podcast; this episode features a clip from a longer conversation on "Toxic Mask-ulinity" that you can listen to at anchor.fm/laura-sommer. In this clip, Laura introduces the concept of autistic masking — concealing parts or all of yourself in order to survive in an allistic (non-autistic) world — and relates it to similar trans experiences; then Laura and Avery connect these concepts to the 1 Kings 19 story of God coming to Elijah not in fire or earthquake, but in a "still small voice." What message do we find in God meeting Elijah's feelings of frailty with vulnerability of Their own? How does God make use of "masks" to accommodate us humans? Click here for the episode transcript. __________ Talking Points: (0:00 - 4:30) Intro — an update from Adam Richards, the guest from episodes 3 & 5 back in 2019, on their journey in Methodist ministry! (4:31 - 9:29) Laura explains autistic masking — a survival tactic with a major cost — and links it to trans experience (9:30 - 13:39) Joy Ladin's concept of God as the ultimate Other, just as trans persons are often treated in our world (13:40 - 16:21) Reading 1 Kings 19: Elijah is ready to die; God comes to him as a "still small voice" (16:22 - 18:26) The Hebrew behind the "still small voice" — more literally "a voice, a thin whisper" (18:27 - 25:53) Frailness or vulnerability is one face of God, which They use to accommodate our own frailty (25:54 - end) Wrapping up — don't forget to check out Laura's podcast, Autistic Liberation Theology! __________ Blessed Are the Binary Breakers is part of the Rock Candy Podcast  Network. Find more shows, such as Magnified Pod, at  www.rockcandyrecordings.com. This show's theme song is "Aetherium" by Leah Horn. This episode also includes "Sept 15 Jam" by Jeremy SH Griffith.