A Catholic Sister’s Quarter-century of Walking in Faith with Trans People

Abstract: Sister Luisa Derouen is a Roman Catholic nun (technically simply a “woman religious,” since she is not cloistered) who for 24 years has conducted a ministry offering spiritual direction and support to trans people as they are. This stands in contradistinction to the increasingly formalized position of her church, which has moved from indifference to intolerance of trans status. For the first 19 years of her ministry, Derouen worked anonymously, quietly building a reputation as a foremost authority on faith and trans identity. In 2018, however, she “came out,” and took her place as an advocate for the dignity and even the nobility of trans Catholics.