In a move that has disheartened LGBTQ+ activists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church, has issued a series of policies that significantly restrict the role of transgender members. The updated guidelines were released earlier this week as part of the General Handbook, the denomination's governing manual.

The new rules not only reinforce the existing policy preventing transgender individuals from being baptized but also expand upon it, prohibiting them from working with children or serving as priests or teachers. These restrictions have raised concerns among LGBTQ+ advocates who argue that they further marginalize transgender people within the faith.

According to the updated guidelines, transgender individuals are welcome to attend sacrament meetings and participate in various ways, but their participation is significantly limited. The policies state that members who have transitioned in any way, whether socially, medically, or surgically, cannot stay overnight at youth camps and are only permitted to use single-occupancy restrooms at church meetinghouses. Alternatively, a designated person must be stationed outside the restroom to prevent others from entering while a transgender person is using a restroom that aligns with their personal gender identity.

The latest edition of the General Handbook also defines and reaffirms gender as one's biological sex assigned at birth. However, the faith does not take a specific stance on the causes of gender dysphoria, according to the handbook. These new guidelines aim to provide clarity on areas that were previously left open to interpretation by local congregations, bishops, and lay leaders.

Church spokesperson Doug Andersen claimed that the updated policies were introduced to help local leaders better minister to individuals who identify as transgender and their families. Andersen emphasized that the updates seek to ensure consistency in policies while allowing flexibility for leaders to address each person's unique needs, following Jesus Christ's example of ministering with love, patience, and respect.

However, many LGBTQ+ advocates within the faith feel that these stringent guidelines further marginalize transgender members who already struggle to find acceptance within the church. Laurie Lee Hall, a transgender woman who was excommunicated in 2017 after transitioning, expressed her concern over the new policies, saying they make it challenging for people like her to maintain their faith.

Hall, who had been participating in a welcoming and inclusive local Mormon church, now finds herself unable to connect with fellow women at church due to the guidelines requiring her to attend classes with men. She finds the prohibition on transgender individuals working with children or youth, as well as the requirement for chaperones when using bathrooms, dehumanizing and toxic.

These new guidelines come at a time when the Mormon church has attempted to adopt a more compassionate approach towards LGBTQ+ issues while maintaining its doctrinal opposition to same-sex relationships. The church had previously enacted rules in 2015 that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and labeled same-sex couples as sinners eligible for expulsion, though these rules were repealed in 2019.

Matthew Bowman, a professor of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University, described the new transgender guidelines as unsurprising, given the church's historical conservative stance on homosexuality. He acknowledged that for many members who have long struggled for acceptance, having these policies spelled out is painful.

Hall remains hopeful that the church will eventually change its direction, drawing parallels to the time when the ban on ordination of African Americans was rescinded. However, she warns that if the trend of exclusion continues, it may result in a generational loss as young people may reject these policies. Hall believes that the church has the opportunity to avoid this by simply expressing love and finding ways to include all individuals.

The release of these new policies has further intensified the ongoing conversation surrounding LGBTQ+ inclusion within religious institutions. As the Mormon church faces criticism for its restrictive guidelines, it remains to be seen how these policies will impact its diverse membership and whether there will be any future changes to foster greater inclusion and acceptance.