Vanessa Sheridan

Vanessa Sheridan is a pioneering author in the field of transgender Christian theology.  Since 1991 she has been speaking, writing, researching, consulting, and providing training on transgender issues for various audiences and organizations.

Vanessa is the author of Crossing Over: Liberating The Transgendered Christian, which was the first book on the topic of transgender Christian spirituality ever to be released by a mainstream publishing house (The Pilgrim Press). In 2002, that book became a double finalist for a Lambda Literary Award.  She and noted lesbian/transgender author Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Ph.D., collaborated on Transgender Journeys, another groundbreaking book on transgender Christian spirituality that became a Lambda Literary Award finalist in 2004.

In 2001 Vanessa participated in a historic transgender gathering at the United Church of Christ’s headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. The group engaged in frank, open dialogue with church leadership, laying the groundwork for the denomination’s current stance of inclusion and welcome for transpersons.

Vanessa is a frequent guest lecturer/speaker for churches and a variety of religious organizations. Among other groups, she has presented before the Center for Sexuality and Religion, the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, United Theological Seminary classes, and the Reconciling Ministries Network.

Since 1995 Vanessa has worked with the University of Minnesota’s Program in Human Sexuality, helping to develop and present seminars on trans issues to both the transgender and general communities. She also presents annually to groups of doctors and medical students at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Vanessa has become an expert consultant in the business area of transgender in the workplace.  She believes that transgender is the last great human rights issue to be addressed in corporate America.  She has written a book on that topic that will be published soon.

Vanessa continues to speak, write, and act on behalf of transgender persons, and maintains a strong interest in transgender Christian spiritual issues.  She is researching material for another book on this topic.

(This biographical statement provided by Vanessa Sheridan.)

Biography Date: October, 2007

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