First openly transgender teen on board of United Synagogue Youth
JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Meet the first openly transgender teen elected to the board of USY
By Josefin Dolsten February 6, 2018 12:04pm
Sawyer Goldsmith is the religion/education vice president for
the international board of USY. (Courtesy of USY)
(JTA) - Sawyer Goldsmith said he has always felt accepted as a a member of the LGBTQ community in United Synagogue Youth, the Conservative movement’s youth group. But the 16-year-old from suburban Chicago hopes his recent election to serve as religion/education vice president on the group’s international board, the first time an openly transgender person has been voted to the board, will show others who may not be as comfortable that they belong.
“I want the other trans USYers to know you’re seen,” Goldsmith told JTA in a phone interview last week. “I can be this key person for them, that they don’t have to hide in the background, they can come out if they feel comfortable, they can be themselves.”
In December, the Highland Park, Illinois, native beat out another candidate for the position at USY’s annual convention in Chicago. Goldsmith, a junior at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in Deerfield, says his victory is “one of the proudest moments” he has had.
“It felt really amazing,” he said. “When I went up to accept it, all of my friends in my region were screaming at me and shouting my name, and I just felt so amazing. I had to wait a good three minutes before I could speak because everyone was so excited and happy for me.”
Though Goldsmith found USY a welcoming environment when he came out as transgender last year and started transitioning from female to male, he said he was not as comfortable everywhere.
“USY was always a place for me to be myself, but I know in other Jewish situations that I didn’t feel like I could be myself and I was scared,” he said.
At his home synagogue, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, his parents are working on a committee of parents of LGBTQ children to ensure that the community is welcoming.
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Meet the first openly transgender teen elected to the board of USY
By Josefin Dolsten February 6, 2018 12:04pm
Sawyer Goldsmith is the religion/education vice president for
the international board of USY. (Courtesy of USY)
(JTA) - Sawyer Goldsmith said he has always felt accepted as a a member of the LGBTQ community in United Synagogue Youth, the Conservative movement’s youth group. But the 16-year-old from suburban Chicago hopes his recent election to serve as religion/education vice president on the group’s international board, the first time an openly transgender person has been voted to the board, will show others who may not be as comfortable that they belong.
“I want the other trans USYers to know you’re seen,” Goldsmith told JTA in a phone interview last week. “I can be this key person for them, that they don’t have to hide in the background, they can come out if they feel comfortable, they can be themselves.”
In December, the Highland Park, Illinois, native beat out another candidate for the position at USY’s annual convention in Chicago. Goldsmith, a junior at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in Deerfield, says his victory is “one of the proudest moments” he has had.
“It felt really amazing,” he said. “When I went up to accept it, all of my friends in my region were screaming at me and shouting my name, and I just felt so amazing. I had to wait a good three minutes before I could speak because everyone was so excited and happy for me.”
Though Goldsmith found USY a welcoming environment when he came out as transgender last year and started transitioning from female to male, he said he was not as comfortable everywhere.
“USY was always a place for me to be myself, but I know in other Jewish situations that I didn’t feel like I could be myself and I was scared,” he said.
At his home synagogue, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, his parents are working on a committee of parents of LGBTQ children to ensure that the community is welcoming.
Click headline for full story
This entry was originally posted at https://thnidu.dreamwidth.org/1686975.html. You can comment here, or there using OpenID or your Dreamwidth ID.
comments there so far.