Building bridges
Collaboration between OutFront Metuchen and First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen, New Jersey, supports transgender teens
Fostering inclusivity and support for marginalized communities is more important than ever. One inspiring example of this is the collaboration between the First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen, New Jersey, and OutFront Metuchen, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering the LGBTQIA+ community. This partnership highlights how churches can work with community organizations to create safe and supportive spaces for transgender teens.
OutFront Metuchen is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and equality for LGBTQIA+ individuals. The aim is to empower LGBTQIA+ youth to become leaders of sustainable, inclusive and intersectional change.
Creating collaboration
An event held last month began when OutFront Metuchen reached out to the First Presbyterian Church office to inquire about using FPC’s Social Center space for its upcoming Gender Affirming Closet. FPC provides its space to many local nonprofits. What started as a small request for space blossomed into a collaborative partnership when the church office connected OutFront Metuchen to the Social Justice Committee and the Queer Fellowship. When all the groups finally met, it turned out that many had met before, as Metuchen is a small town, which created a sense of trust between the groups.
There was also an immediate sense of excitement at FPC, which began celebrating Pride Month in just the past few years. The Queer Fellowship at FPC started in 2023. FPC members were enthusiastic about following up these initial efforts with practical actions by hosting an event for transgender teens.
A gender-affirming event
On November 16, the church hosted the Gender Affirming Closet.
OutFront Metuchen led the organizing of the event. The organization, based on its local outreach and connections with teens, collected most of the donated clothes and some new ones, and provided suggestions for the kinds of clothes FPC should donate.
FPC offered space for the event in the Social Center and highlighted it through their social media and Sunday bulletin. The timing was perfect, as it followed the church's Presbyterian Women’s Rummage Sale, providing ample clothing racks and hangers. The Queer Fellowship, at its regular monthly meeting, sorted the hangers before the event.
On the day of the event, many volunteers from OutFront Metuchen, the Social Justice Committee, and the Queer Fellowship helped arrange the room and clothes. Mirrors were set up for attendees to admire their new clothes. Longtime church member Deb Teall and her daughter Carolyn Perez provided the teens with makeup lessons and new makeup. “A little lip gloss, a whisk of mascara defines your face and makes you feel pulled together and stronger, regardless of all the challenges you face,” Deb Teall said, adding she and her daughter loved contributing products and expertise to the Gender Affirming Closet “and hope to do more events in the new year.”
OutFront Metuchen recommended that FPC transform its bathrooms into all-gender facilities to ensure a welcoming environment. This was an easy process because the bathrooms in the Social Center are individual stalls. FPC changed the signs on the doors to indicate that they are now all gender bathrooms, covering the urinals in the men’s room for privacy.
Lessons learned, and community impact
CJ Giovingo from OutFront Metuchen reflected on the event, saying in an email to FPC, “For me, the highlight of the day was being in community with each of you.”
FPC members said they shared this sentiment. The collaboration between the church and OutFront Metuchen can serve as a model for other churches looking to support transgender teens, organizers said. By hosting events like the Gender Affirming Closet, churches can provide practical resources and a sense of belonging to those who may feel marginalized.
OutFront Metuchen is involved in several other initiatives aimed at promoting inclusivity. One key focus is advocating for laws that allow individuals to use single-occupancy bathroom facilities without regard to sex, gender identity or gender expression.
Church members called their partnership with OutFront Metuchen “a powerful example of how churches can collaborate with local community organizations to support transgender teens. By hosting inclusive events, advocating for supportive laws, and fostering a sense of community, churches can play a vital role in creating safe and welcoming spaces for all individuals.”
This collaboration not only benefits transgender teens, they said, but also enriches the entire community, promoting a culture of acceptance and love.
Heather Koball is Executive Director of Missions at First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen, New Jersey.
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