God Doesn’t Make Mistakes: Embracing a Trans Affirming Faith in the LDS Church
In the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we are taught that “all are alike unto God”—male and female, bond and free (2 Nephi 26:33). This eternal truth means that every soul, including our transgender and nonbinary siblings, is known, loved, and purposefully created by Heavenly Parents. The oft-repeated phrase “God doesn’t make mistakes” is more than a comforting thought—it’s a doctrinal foundation. As Latter-day Saints, we believe in divine identity, eternal progression, and the worth of every soul. So what happens when someone’s gender identity doesn’t fit neatly within our traditional framework? This post explores how a truly trans-affirming faith can align with restored truth. If Zion is to be a refuge for all God’s children, then our vision of belonging must expand to reflect the vastness of God’s love—a love taught by prophets, recorded in scripture, and revealed through the Spirit.
We live on a planet with day and night, spoken of in Genesis. The beautiful sun shines brightly at noonday as we squint our eyes, as well as the darkness of light that leaves us without the ability to see down the paths. There is also the reality of dawn and dusk, clouds and various moonlight. In a world that allows for the binary of day and night, there is also every other minute of the day. Each variation of light is beautiful and belongs. Similarly, we live in a world with male and female. Individuals feeling completely at home as they are, as well as genetic and social variations on this gender binary. Each person is beautiful and brings a unique perspective. God indeed doesn’t make mistakes and this diversity applies to our transgender and nonbinary Saints and siblings, each a beloved and perfect expression of divinity.
In many religious spaces, including our Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter Day Saints space, gender is often framed as a fixed binary—something God created and expects us to live by. These expressions are spelled out in the Family Proclamation, and taught in the classes labeled by gender. But what happens when someone’s inner truth doesn’t fit that mold? Our beautiful siblings are being raised in a house based on gender norms, leaving them without rooms for them to grow, and this is quite literally the case. Where does a non-binary Saint go for second hour during Relief Society and Elder’s Quorum meetings?
All are welcome is a beautiful idea without practical application for individuals who do not identify within the gender binary. Handbook policy doesn’t even currently allow for appropriate bathroom use for transgender individuals without supervision, a basic human necessity. But, with a theology that has expanded so many ideas of heaven, family, and the expansiveness of time, is there room for all of us? My heart sings, Yes!
In Episode 317 of Latter Day Struggles, “Ideas on a Heaven Large Enough for All Loving Connection,” Valerie and guest scholar Taylor Petrey explore how scripture and theology can—and should—make space for queer kinship, including trans and nonbinary people. God’s heaven isn’t small—it is vast enough to include every beloved soul.
Affirming Transgender and Nonbinary Saints: God Doesn’t Make Mistakes
From a therapeutic and theological standpoint, telling someone they are a “mistake” because their gender or identity differs from tradition’s expectations can be profoundly damaging. But the radical good news is this:
God doesn’t make mistakes
And your identity is not broken—it’s beloved, intended, essential.
Trans Inclusive Theology: Queering the Covenant of Belonging
Taylor Petrey’s concept of “queering kinship” is a powerful reframe for relational faith. It challenges us to:
- Read scripture through a broader lens
- Recognize gender diversity as part of God’s design
- Build a community where all bodies and identities reflect divine kinship
When we publicly affirm our trans and nonbinary siblings, we move the church closer to the expansive, empathetic Kingdom of God. Now is not the time to be quiet in our love.
A Parent’s Journey Toward Trans Affirming Faith in the LDS Community
Not everyone is the parent of a non-binary or transgender child. Some of us are just lucky. While it didn’t feel this way initially, I am blessed to understand love that is more expansive, inclusive, and radically accepting. When my child came out, I wanted them well, but I didn’t know how. I went to my bishop for help and his first instinct was to love us all and be supportive, including my child in the appropriate youth activities even up to the stake level.
As I learned from doctors, therapists, and other parents, my knowledge grew, and I wanted to share all of this information with my ward family. The family that welcomed my newborn baby. That welcomed my eight year old into the ward after baptism. The family that brought me meals during hospital visits. And they wanted to love me in return. The exclusion policies that occurred through the office of Salt Lake City in August of 2024 made those efforts nearly impossible, and broke my heart. How could a church that taught me right from wrong, be so cold to my own beloved child. My child that offers grace and goodness, kindness and truth.
The child I raised in the church was now being left without a room to grow. So we left. We found room elsewhere, and we are growing. I wish it could have been in the church of my heritage and extended family, but this was not the case. But I can see how it can be better. I hope for a better world where love extends beyond binaries, and kinship includes us all, a world even at the right hand of God.
Divine Identity: Why Your Gender Is Not a Mistake
To our trans and nonbinary siblings:
Your identity isn’t a theological problem—it’s a reflection of the Divine’s creative breadth. And to your allies: Now is the time to speak up, reach out, and make spaces for connection. It probably won’t be in church at the moment, but that doesn’t mean we wash our hands. Put your shoulder to the wheel of community and belonging, it’s time for lemonade on porches, book clubs on couches, dinners on patios, quilting circles around kitchen tables. We are a crafty and resilient bunch, and we will find a way.
Creating a Vision of Belonging for LGBTQ+ Saints in the Church
This is how we practice spiritual inclusion:
- We name what’s often left unspoken.
- We declare that God’s grace extends to all—without added conditions.
- We hold space for correction, learning, and ongoing advocacy in our communities.
I would invite you to reach out to the family or individual in your life who doesn’t fit the gender binary. Let them know you are thinking of them, and plan a time to create a memory together. Go to a movie, watch a sunset, and enjoy the beauty of your unique experiences together. How might the Spirit be calling you to decrease division and be a peacemaker in the truest sense? Let there be peace on earth, with love as our teacher.
Affirmation as Soul Work: Practicing Inclusive Christianity Today
God’s love is neither small nor selective. It doesn’t obey our categories. The divine is large enough—large enough for every trans and nonbinary life, story, and body.Affirming them isn’t optional. It’s soul work—and it blesses us all.
