Engaging the issue of broken sexual identity – Melinda Semlys and Caleb Kaltenbach

Melinda Selmys' story of living with gender dysphoria provides a personal viewpoint from the trenches of this struggle. She advocates for a compassionate, empathetic approach to learning from and loving those in our communities who experience gender identity confusion. Suggesting that those identifying as transgender may have have experienced trauma, she encourages faith communities to provide trans people with the social, emotional, and spiritual support that they need in order to heal. Growing up with parents who were gay, Caleb Kaltenbach was part of the gay rights movement from an early age. But when he became a Christian, his parents were furious, having seen so much hatred aimed at them from the Christian community. Caleb - who eventually became a pastor - shares his story of how he journeyed through this disagreement with his parents and gained empathy for those who think differently.