Swedish Church Hosts Trans Seminar
Since 2021, the Swedish Church has been organizing an event called Transblessing, a global conference for Christian transgender individuals. Among the program's offerings was a seminar where a Swiss theology student discussed queer theology from a transgender perspective. The event has faced several criticisms.
The Transgender Day of Visibility, originating in the United States, has been celebrated in Sweden for years. The Swedish Church organizes this event, and for the sixth consecutive year, Transblessing has also taken place.
Previously, the organizers of Transblessing insisted that the event be held separately, but this year, everyone was able to participate in „Transblessing for All,” a webinar for those wanting to learn more about transgender and gender identity, and—as the organizers put it—to contribute to creating an inclusive environment for transgender individuals.
One element of the program was a seminar where a Swiss theology student discussed queer theology from a transgender perspective, while three young transgender individuals shared their personal experiences. They spoke about topics such as inclusive space allocation in camps and the importance of normalizing name and pronoun circles in all congregational contexts.
„We are very satisfied with the program and the speakers. We felt we provided a broad perspective and succeeded in conveying what we wanted—to make it feel like our conferences,” said organizer Oliver Jähnke to Kyrkans Tidning.
The event’s organizers aimed for it to address not only the challenges faced by transgender individuals but also the so-called „trans joy.” According to Jähnke, this can be a daily joy felt by everyone, but it can also be a joy specifically characteristic of transgender individuals, such as gender euphoria.
— Agneta Nessling (@Exonessie) April 6, 2026
During the preparation for the program, the organizers received threats, and the event was ultimately held under police supervision.
„We had to spend time on things we really didn’t want to, and it feels terrible to have to adapt to these threats. But during the event itself, we felt safe. There were some who were not there out of genuine curiosity and goodwill, but they did not take control, and throughout the day, we truly felt that love prevailed,” said one of the organizers.
The event has faced criticism, with detractors arguing that despite the program’s attempts to convey church acceptance, many believe that promoting acceptance and transgender ideology is incompatible within the church’s framework.