Madison, WI—On Sunday December 28, a cold and rainy afternoon, a powerful and hopeful gathering took place at the Wisconsin State Capitol as a group of queer and transgender-affirming Christians came together to protest violence directed at trans people and the ways religion has been used to justify that harm.

Beginning at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., around 70 marchers began walking around Capitol Square in the rain. Their silent steps were accompanied by the slow and solemn booming of a big drum, which created a dirge-like feel. The procession culminated in a sung prayer service inside the Capitol Rotunda. The programming also included a “die-in” on the floor of the Capitol building, a visual spectacle of bodies lying on the floor next to tombstones with captions like: “Killed by the silence of good Christians.”

Among the lineup of speakers, Christen Lester-Jones delivered a litany she had written herself. As organizer Rev. Liz Edman described it, “it was in many ways a howl of outrage at all the anti-trans legislation, efforts to strip trans people of healthcare, keep them from using public bathrooms, be able to travel internationally, and other horrific injustices. I had asked her to format that as a prayer, which she performed in stanzas. Each section was like a call and after, everybody would answer with the refrain, “Not in Jesus’ name.”

At its core, this event was a reminder that faith and queer identity are not at odds and that many people of faith deeply reject the narratives that have been used to marginalize and harm transgender people.

The demonstration was intentionally planned on the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Per the event’s flyer: “Soon after his birth, the infant Jesus was targeted for murderous erasure by a politician hellbent on securing his throne at any cost. Untold numbers of innocent children were sacrificed.”

Organizers, including the Rev. Liz Edman, an Episcopal priest and co-founder of the Stone Catcher Project, explained that this timing was symbolic. They wanted to reflect on how scripture highlights the obligation of people of faith to protect the vulnerable rather than to condemn them. “Faith demands courage,” Edman said, urging observers to reimagine what following the teachings of Jesus means in today’s climate.

Edman spoke directly to the heart of why the event mattered so deeply. “Transgender people are under violent assault, both physical and spiritual,” she said, naming not only the real threats of violence faced by trans people but also the spiritual violence of exclusion and condemnation. She invoked the image of catching stones thrown at vulnerable people instead of throwing them ourselves, a powerful call to compassion rooted in sacred teaching.

When asked about the importance of religious representation in trans advocacy, Edman said, “The simple fact is that the greatest obstacle in the queer and trans movement for justice are voices of religious authority, and that has been true for decades. In some ways, it has always been true. There has been a queer faith movement for years now trying to write a different narrative about authentic religious teaching. And while it’s not confined to Christianity, in this country, Christianity is the worst offender in terms of people drawing on religious rhetoric to justify violence against queer and trans people.”

Another event organizer, Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, commented that, “As a faith leader it is incumbent on me to make sure that when we use the Bible, instead of using it to harm people, we use it to heal people. Christ never said exclude people who you think are different or don’t belong, he said include everybody. When evangelical and fundamentalist Christian faith organizations use the Bible to exclude and harm, we have to stand up to that. When they bend the knee to empire, we have to stand up to that.”

This demonstration unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing national debates over gender-affirming care and frequent use of religious rhetoric to oppose it. Trans people across the United States continue to face legislative attacks and social stigma. Many have experienced the chilling effects of anti-trans bills and rulings and the very real danger that accompanies rising hostility. Many in our community have lost friends and loved ones to violence this year, stark reminders that the stakes of public discourse are literal life and death.

One of the most striking aspects of the protest was how it disrupted the common narrative that religion and LGBTQ+ rights are always in conflict. Instead, this event highlighted a growing movement of affirming Christians who refuse to let religious language be weaponized against trans people. It showed that faith communities can be places of refuge and advocacy rather than condemnation. And as Rev. Liz Edman put it, the event was a chance to demonstrate that it is the “demonization” of people that is the real religious offense.