COGAM, the Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Bisexual Association of Madrid, has released a calendar in Spain to promote awareness. Unlike most calendars, this calendar is chock full of transgender models posing as the Virgin Mary. The calendar also offers secular alternatives to religious holidays such as Christmas.
One example of this is "Wherever it's noted that December 25 is Christmas, a candy sweet should be eaten on behalf of International Democracy Day." Gee...and all these years I thought December 25th was celebrated as the birth of our Savior. Guess I need to get out more!
Condom use seems to be a recurring message throughout each of the pictures. This not only gives further offense to the idea of male-born people depicting Blessed Mother, but it goes against the Catholic Church's long held opposition of use of contraception. [Note: This is one place the Church and I disagree. If I'm wrong on the issue, I'll answer to God, not the Pope.]
Juan Antinoo, the Venezuelan photographer who authored the images, sees no reason why there should be controversy.
"It's not something that worries me, what truly is important is that the message gets out there; which is the importance of the use of a condom" he said. "They are interpretations of religious images, not copies," he added, "I sincerely don't think anyone should be offended by them".
If interpreting religious images using transgenders is something that shouldn't be offensive, then why didn't Mr. Antinoo depict transgenders as Muslim women? Maybe even Muslim women worshipping an image of a one-time female who is now male as Mohammed? No..... THAT would be offensive, right? War on Christianity has been declared on numerous fronts, folks.
The scariest part of this is that there are people out there who actually think that this is perfectly okay and actually empowers women. Don't believe me? This was posted on a blog that shall remain nameless. You decide whether this seems logical.
"The depiction of Mary as a transgender woman seems very natural to me. I really don't understand how it is any different than the myriad ways that Mary has already been depicted. I know that some people arrogantly think that they can own the divine. They don't want others to know that Mary belongs to everyone. She is the face that we see when we think about the feminine divinity. If Mary looks like us and the Creator deemed her worthy of recognition and respect and admiration, how could we worthless? In my opinion, depicting Mary as a transgender woman only magnifies her image and I think this is something that could be quite empowering for all women. "
How does a bunch of transgenders posing as The Virgin Mary empower women? Empowerment comes from within. You are only a victim of a patriarchal society if you allow yourself to be. Many women have been extremely successful in a "man's world" without playing the sexism card. THAT is real empowerment. I digress....
Just as we have chosen sides on the political front in the war on conservative values and freedom, we are reaching a point where we will need to choose sides in the war on Christianity. Attacks have come from Muslims, liberals, and, in some instances, from within church pulpits. It's like nothing I've ever seen in my life.
Christians have been portrayed as zealots and lunatics more and more in recent times, and the idea of religious tolerance seems only to apply to religions other than Christianity. I, for one, am fed up with having my faith ridiculed and the icons of that faith smeared. Our time to make a stand is fast approaching.
Big h/t to The Right Guy
[Author's note: Anyone who, for whatever reason, would like to view the images on the calendar, click here. I have chosen not to do so.]
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