Britain’s ‘first non-binary CofE priest’ says ‘God guided me to the truth’

A non-binary vicar, believed to be a Church of England first, believes they were ‘guided’ by God to date after an epiphany.

Bingo Allison, 36, who is gender queer, grew up in a “strongly religious” household in West Yorkshire and was raised to believe that being gay was “sinful”.

But a 15-year journey, which included meeting other LGBTQ+ Christians, completely changed his “very traditional and conservative” outlook on life.

Bingo Allison, 36, is gay and to his knowledge the first openly non-binary priest in the Church of England.

They grew up in a ‘strongly religious’ home in West Yorkshire and were raised to believe that being gay was ‘sinful’

“I didn’t take the time to learn from other people’s experiences,” Allison said. the echo of liverpool.

“I was definitely in a lot of denial and some of that denial came out as denial of other people’s identities.”

Allison left seven years ago halfway through the Church of England vicar training program after having an epiphany while reading the Old Testament.

The third generation vicar explained how the language the Bible originally used in Genesis 1:27 spoke of ‘from masculinity to femininity’ as opposed to men and women.

“I was sitting there in the middle of the night when I realized that I might have to turn my life upside down: it was a deeper spiritual experience,” they said.

At the time, Allison had only met two openly gay people and no trans people, and there were times when they questioned her new gender identity.

Now they visit schools and speak to youth groups to encourage other LGBTQ+ people to have a place in the church.

Allison says they are constantly impressed by how ‘open’ young people are.

Allison uses social media to spread her message and in a playful post she wrote that “Jesus loves sparkly eyeshadows.”

They left seven years ago halfway through the Church of England vicar training program after having an epiphany while reading the Old Testament.

A recent survey by Stonewall found that more than a quarter of young people now identify as LGBT.

The LGBTQ+ charity claimed that 71 percent of Gen Z respondents, those aged 16 to 26, identify as straight.

The number contrasts with the Baby Boomer generation, those ages 56 to 75, in which 91 percent described themselves as heterosexual.

Of the next generation, Generation X, described as those ages 43 to 56, Stonewall said 87 percent said they were straight.

The figure was 82 percent for Millennials, those ages 27 to 42, according to the charity.

In his report, which uses data from Ipsos UK pollster, Stonewall said the results show Britain is becoming a “rainbow nation”.

Now they visit schools and speak to youth groups to encourage other LGBTQ+ people to have a place in the church.