A Tennessee Christian college has kicked out one of its students for being transgender, just hours after he underwent major gender-affirming surgery.
In a recent Facebook post, Yanna Awtrey alleges that he was expelled from Welch College in Gallatin immediately after getting top surgery, or a double mastectomy:
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“I have received major surgery today to alleviate my gender dysphoria,” the post reads, “And through trusting people to remain confidential about this surgery, someone contacted Welch college. Welch College, with me not even 9 hours out of surgery, legally expelled me from my dorm and education.”
“As of today, I wish to tell you that I am now homeless and unable to work for a few months.”
Awtrey was working towards a degree in biology in theology when he received his letter of expulsion.
He originally attended the college because his parents, Free Will Baptist missionaries, wanted him to attend a school that shares their religious beliefs and values.
“The physical pain right now is nothing compared to witnessing a lack of empathy for our fellow man,” his post continued, “I don’t understand other people’s cruelty.”
Welch College is owned by the National Association of Free Will Baptists.
The evangelical Christian denomination holds comparatively conservative views about gender identity and sexuality.
When The Huffington Post contacted Welch college about their decision to expel Awtrey, they said that everyone should be “treated with love and compassion,” but held firm in their belief that “attempting to alter one’s bodily identity constitutes a rejection of God’s design for humanity.”
Matt Pinson, the President of Welch College, released a statment regarding the incident in which he refused to use Awtrey’s correct pronouns.
“Throughout Yanna’s time at Welch, we have treated her with love, respect, compassion, sensitivity, and privacy, though we always clearly communicated our community standards regarding gender identity,” he stated, “We at Welch love Yanna and have shown her that love in a way that accords with our deeply held religious beliefs.”
Though Awtrey knew he wouldn’t be able to work for about two weeks post surgery, he did not expect to be homeless.
He is also currently estranged from his parents.
“You say God is the personification of goodness, that he cannot do evil by his hand,” he writes, “Yet the costs seem so high.”
“I’ve seen and heard my trans friends attempt to die by their own hands because their relatives prefer their death over existence.”
In spite of all that he has been through, Awtrey still regards himself as a Christian.
“Christianity and the Christian community are two very different things,” he explained, “It’s unfortunate that the worst people I’ve ever met are the people who claim to be Christians … it’s something I’ve had to work through … to look toward God instead of toward people.”
h/t: Yahoo Lifestyle
