Product Overview
Jonathan S. Williams was three months into pastoring a new, evangelical church plant when his father confessed a secret: he was transgender. His father, Paul, a prominent evangelical pastor, soon became Paula, and Jonathan’s life and ministry went into a tailspin. Feeling betrayed by his mentor and confidante and scared that his church would lose funding and support if Paula’s secret was exposed, Jonathan sunk into depression and alcoholism.
She’s My Dad explores Jonathan’s long and winding journey toward reconciliation, forgiveness, and acceptance of his father as well as his church’s journey to become one of the few fully LGBTQ-inclusive, evangelical churches in America. Jonathan and Paula offer insight and encouragement for those with trans family members, empathizing with the feelings of loss and trauma and understanding that even being LGBTQ-affirming doesn’t mean the transition of a family member will be easy. Jonathan writes of his family’s continuing evolution, the meaning of remaining loyal to one’s father even when she is no longer a man, the ongoing theological evolution surrounding transgender rights and advocacy in the church, and the unflinching self-scrutiny of a pastor who lost his God only to find God again in his father’s transition.
Reviews
“She’s My Dad is the missing link in the LGBTQ+ narrative. When Williams discovers that his father is transgender, he is forced to confront his own identity and, consequently, reevaluate everything he’s ever known to be true. Written with gut-wrenching honesty and a raw vulnerability that exposes both deep pain and deep compassion, this gripping memoir of love and loss reveals the heartache and the beauty of navigating life when a family member comes out. A much-welcomed addition to the library of LGBTQ+ resources and one I highly recommend!”
—Amber Cantorna, National Speaker, Leader, and Author of Refocusing My Family and Unashamed: A Coming-Out Guide for LGBTQ Christians
“In She’s My Dad, Jonathan Williams manages to honestly capture the pain and heartbreak he felt during his parent’s transition without discounting the reality of Paula’s identity. As someone who has dealt with family rejection, I kept tensing up as I read, waiting for the moment when the suffering of these two people would be pitted against each other—when we’d be forced to see one of them as the bad guy. Instead, Jonathan and Paula work together to show us a reality in which two people in difficult circumstances can journey through pain and toward a new relationship, thanks to a heavy helping of grace.”
—Austen Hartke, Author of Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians
“When a parent begins living their gender identity authentically, it impacts the identity of everyone in the family. In She’s My Dad, Jonathan Williams describes the pain of reconceiving his father and himself, both as individuals and as pastors. Williams’s honest portrayal illustrates how crises can ultimately lead to an expansion of our understanding of God—reflecting the truth of Paula Stone Williams’s belief that the quest for authenticity is holy, sacred, and for the greater good. The book is a wonderful resource for transitio