JOURNEYS OF FAITH
Amy
Amy is an enthusiastic teacher of ancient literature and the Latin language. She has a firm love of ancient history, literature, cuddly things, and unicorns. Amy once wanted nothing more than to have a nice ordinary life with a nice white picket fence. And then she discovered Kyle, who turned out to be more beguiling than a whole blessing of unicorns. While still trying to figure out how in the world life works being married to a transgender spouse, she is happy with her sometimes confusing, always quirky, but definitely happy life. She and Kyle have now been married for five years and look forward to many more wonderful years together.
Amy’s Journey of Faith
AN UNASSUMING LOVE: NURTURING A HAPPY MARRIAGE WITH A TRANSGENDER SPOUSE
Growing up, I endeavored to be a good girl. I wasn’t perfect, but I managed to negotiate adolescence relatively unscathed, I thought, my greatest sin being my indefatigable pride. I felt so sure of who I was and what I was supposed to do, and I knew what I wanted from my life. Once during a youth activity, I was asked to write down what I wanted in my future husband. I knew I wanted someone practical and wise like my mother, gentle and kind like my father, and finally, enlightened by my childish conceit, I decided I wanted him to be smart like me.
I loved to be with my family as a child, and never could imagine being without them. I grew up close to all my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, even to the point of living in the same small Florida cattle town with them for most of my childhood. We generally had very happy relationships with all of them, though there was still some drama, as with most families.
When my older brother and I were very young, my mother converted to the LDS Church, much to the dismay of my very traditional family. I grew up overhearing comments on how I and my brothers were “brainwashed” into believing…