In scripture, we are reminded that every person is created in the image and likeness of God. This Sunday, we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord, when the heavens open, the Spirit descends, and God proclaims over Jesus: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

That same blessing echoes through time and over all God’s children. God looks upon us, not with suspicion or fear, but with delight and unwavering love. God does not act as a judgmental parent waiting for us to measure up. God embraces each person as beloved, affirmed, and worthy of dignity simply because God created us.

At Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada, we hold firmly to this truth as we witness Governor Joe Lombardo’s continued use of transgender Nevadans as political theater. This comes at a time when violence against transgender individuals is rising and when legislatures across the country continue to target and harass transgender communities.

The ballot proposal Governor Lombardo has endorsed would undermine the will of Nevada voters. In 2022, Nevadans overwhelmingly passed the Equal Rights Amendment, enshrining broad constitutional protections against discrimination. The message from the people of Nevada could not have been clearer: our state is moving toward equality and fairness, not backward.

Policies like those proposed are not abstract debates. They inflict real and immediate harm on beloved children of God. They deputize adults, coaches, and even classmates to police girls’ bodies and appearances, to decide who “looks feminine enough” to belong. Girls who are tall, strong, broad-shouldered, or who simply do not match narrow expectations are singled out, scrutinized, and shamed. These invasions of privacy and dignity have already occurred in other states; the damage is not hypothetical.

This ballot proposal is not about fairness or safety. It is a political weapon rooted in fear, designed to energize an agenda that targets transgender people—especially transgender youth.

As people of faith, we reject the narrative of fear. We proclaim the Gospel of a God who calls us beloved, just as we are. As Lutherans, we are grounded in our church’s own teaching. ELCA social policy is explicit that discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, including transgender youth, is incompatible with our understanding of God’s love and justice. In “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” (2009), the ELCA affirms that “all people—regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity—are created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity, respect, and protection under the law.”

Our church also recognizes that government has a responsibility to safeguard the well-being of all residents and must not be used to harm or marginalize vulnerable communities _{(Church and State: A Lutheran Perspective, 1966; Government and Civic Engagement).}

These teachings establish a clear theological mandate: Lutherans are called to advocate alongside all LGBTQIA+ people, resisting policies grounded in fear and exclusion, and upholding protections that recognize every person as beloved.

Transgender Nevadans deserve safety, dignity, belonging, and joy, not to be used as pawns in a culture war. And we will continue to stand with them, advocate for them, and remind this state of the sacred truth spoken at the Jordan River, this is God’s beloved child; in them God is well pleased.

In Faith,

Rev. Paul M. Larson

Advocacy Director, Lutheran Engagement Advocacy in Nevada

Pastor, St. Paul’s Lutheran Family, Carson City, NV