Blessed Are The Binary Breakers

Let's hear some stories from various people — trans & cis, Jewish, Christian, & Sikh — about how gender, faith, and culture have played a role in the names they use. How do names isolate us, or connect us; harm us, or heal us? And what does religion teach us about honoring one another's chosen names? Click here for the episode transcript. Talking Points: (0:00 - 6:40) Introducing the topic; part of Avery's own experience (6:41 - 9:45) Judaism: biblical name changes, honoring new names (9:46 - 18:03) Eli's story: how the prophet Elijah helped Eli choose their name (18:04 - 22:36) Adrian's story: finding the right name; "dark richness" (22:37 - 26:19) Mychel Vandover's story: a renaming ceremony in a supportive church (26:20 - 30:16) Name changes in religious orders: Buddhism & Catholicism (30:17 - 33:40) Sister Jean Ann's story: how a nun got her name (33:41 - 39:14) Khalsa names in Sikhi: names that remove caste & resist injustice (39:15 - 48:21) Pauahi's story: a fiery name b