Kochi: Nothing more could bring joy to Maya as she stepped inside the church and read the scripture above the altar: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with grace. Maya, a transsexual, had given up her church visits years ago due to stigma. On Saturday, she addressed fellow Christians on her identity.

Clad in a gold and black sari, Maya was talking at a symposium organized by National Council of Churches in India (Nat Christ Church, Kadavanthra. The talk was organized to sensitize Christians on the crisis faced by LGBTQ community. “I was born Catholic and I never had the chance to enter a church with my real identity.

Today, CSI church has made a historic move by inviting me here. It is a dream come true. I hope that Catholic Church will follow suit,” she said.

Marthoma, Jacobite, Orthodox and CSI churchgoers attended the symposium. Inaugurating the event, Metropolitan Yohannan Mar Policarpose of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church said that the LGBTQ community deserves fair treatment. “God created us. There is no need for any discrimination,” he said. Jijo Kuriakose, founder of Queerala, an LGBTQ organization, said this move was a big positive step in the right direction, The Times of India reported.

NCCI’s Fr Philip Kuruvila said most churches- apart from some minor sects – are yet to accept the community. “NCCI envisages an inclusive church that consider this community as members of the parish. Most congregations are yet to make a decision on inclusion,” Fr Kuruvila said.

Meanwhile, spokesperson of the Syro-Malabar church, Fr Thomas Poochakkat said the Pope too had said that the church should view the community with mercy. “There has been no discussion on the inclusion of the community. The church is not viewing them as offenders or outcasts,” he said.