Episode 775: Rylee Burningham, Transgender Latter-day Saint, Brave Story

My friend Rylee Burningham (he/they) joins us to share their story. Rylee (married father of 7, mid-40’s. RM, believing/active LDS, IT professional) talks about their feelings of gender dysphoria from their earliest memories. Rylee (who is doing the podcast to give others hope walking this road) talks about their journey of self-discovery, navigating faith and identity, lessons learned and hopes for the future. Rylee talks about things they are doing within the new transgender handbook policies to stay temple-worthy and to fully participate in the Church. At the same time, Rylee talks about the sacrifice to make this possible and also how the handbook can cause transgender members to feel like second class citizens. Rylee and I talk about how gender dysphoria is a recognized/established health issue with guidelines to feel better—and how staying fully active in the church takes some of those guidelines off the table. Rylee also talks about how his gender dysphoria is the bottom of the iceberg—but was presenting with depression and anxiety (top of the iceberg stuff that is easier to see) and how he needed to recognize/address gender dysphoria to improve his mental health. Rylee talks about his work to take shame out of his life for never fitting into the cultural expectations for a man—and his firm testimony that he is created as intended by our Heavenly Parents and this “is a beautiful part of who I am” that doesn’t need fixing in the resurrection. If you have feelings of gender dysphoria (or looking to better support transgender/non-binary Latter-day Saint), please listen to Rylee and their deeply insightful and spiritual journey. Thank you, Rylee, for your courage to be on the podcast. I was so moved listening to your story. You are so brave. We need good people like you in our Church and society. You help us to expand the boarders of Zion so more feel welcome, needed, and belonging. Links: Rylee’s email: rylee.burn@icloud.com Instagram: @transformingzion Website: transformzion.org