Beyond her own journey, Ann-Christine’s voice resonates through the lives of others, especially those who have felt unseen or unwelcome in religious spaces. Her experience as a mother, a partner, and the subject of her daughter Ester Roxberg’s deeply personal book Min pappa Ann-Christine adds a powerful relational dimension to her story, showing how transition is never an isolated act, but a shared process of love, loss, and growth. With warmth, intellectual depth, and disarming humility, she challenges churches to move beyond polite silence toward genuine embrace, and invites society to replace fear with knowledge and compassion. In doing so, Ann-Christine stands not only as a theologian of words, but as a living testament to the transformative power of truth, love, and faith lived openly.
Monika: It is both a pleasure and an honour to welcome Ann-Christine Roxberg, a Swedish lecturer, theologian, and priest. She is also well known as the central figure in her daughter’s book “Min pappa Ann-Christine” from 2014. Ann-Christine, I am very happy to have you here.
Ann-Christine: Hello Monika! What an unexpected pleasure to be interviewed by you.
Monika: Before we go deeper into your work and experiences, I would love for you to introduce yourself in your own words. Who is Ann-Christine today?
Ann-Christine: I am 60+, with three daughters and three grandchildren. I worked as a priest for 36 years. Last summer I resigned, and I now spend my time lecturing on trans and related issues, especially trans and the Bible. I am engaged to Eva.
Monika: Looking back, was there a particular moment when you understood that priesthood was not just a career choice, but your vocation?
Ann-Christine: It was shortly after college.
Ann-Christine: I am 60+, with three daughters and three grandchildren. I worked as a priest for 36 years. Last summer I resigned, and I now spend my time lecturing on trans and related issues, especially trans and the Bible. I am engaged to Eva.
Monika: Looking back, was there a particular moment when you understood that priesthood was not just a career choice, but your vocation?
Ann-Christine: It was shortly after college.
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| Min berättelse (YouTube) |
Monika: Your academic path is often described as very solid. How do you yourself view your educational background?
Ann-Christine: Well, I believe it is fairly average when compared with the academic background of others.
Monika: Your ministry took you to both small and large congregations, in Sweden as well as in Zimbabwe. When you think back on those years, which assignment challenged you the most, and why?
Ann-Christine: Without a doubt, the most challenging, and at the same time the most rewarding, was my time in Zimbabwe. We lived there from 1985 to 1989, at a time when the country was still in good condition. I was responsible for a dozen small churches belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe. I had to learn the language, Shona, and come to terms with many cultural differences. The kindness of the people and the way they expressed their faith impressed me deeply and influenced me in ways I will never forget.
Monika: Many transgender people struggle with the question of faith and suffering. Some even feel that God has been cruel to them. How do you respond to the idea that God places transgender people in bodies that do not match their inner truth?
Ann-Christine: Is God merciless? I have never experienced God that way, quite the opposite. The main reason I have found the strength to live as myself is my belief that God loves me, not in spite of who I am, but exactly as I am. I believe the greatest obstacle to living as myself has nothing to do with God, but rather with the fear and prejudice of others. Some Christians have told me that trans people rebel against God. I myself was convinced for many years that my longing was a sin. But God changed that.
Monika: In one of my earlier interviews, Lisa Salazar suggested that transgender people are among those least likely to engage with religious institutions, largely because many have experienced rejection or judgment from Christian families, friends, and faith communities. Does that observation resonate with your own experience?
Ann-Christine: Yes, and it is very sad. I grew up in a Christian family, and I worked as a priest for many, many years. I would, under normal circumstances, feel completely at home in a church context. But from the moment I came out, I felt like a stranger. Not that other Christians were openly hostile to me, well, a few were, but many were friendly. The majority, however, remained silent. And when it comes to trans issues, churches are still generally very silent. I long for an end to that silence and for a time when Church leaders make a clear statement that being trans is OK and does not go against the will of God.
Ann-Christine: Without a doubt, the most challenging, and at the same time the most rewarding, was my time in Zimbabwe. We lived there from 1985 to 1989, at a time when the country was still in good condition. I was responsible for a dozen small churches belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe. I had to learn the language, Shona, and come to terms with many cultural differences. The kindness of the people and the way they expressed their faith impressed me deeply and influenced me in ways I will never forget.
Monika: Many transgender people struggle with the question of faith and suffering. Some even feel that God has been cruel to them. How do you respond to the idea that God places transgender people in bodies that do not match their inner truth?
Ann-Christine: Is God merciless? I have never experienced God that way, quite the opposite. The main reason I have found the strength to live as myself is my belief that God loves me, not in spite of who I am, but exactly as I am. I believe the greatest obstacle to living as myself has nothing to do with God, but rather with the fear and prejudice of others. Some Christians have told me that trans people rebel against God. I myself was convinced for many years that my longing was a sin. But God changed that.
Monika: In one of my earlier interviews, Lisa Salazar suggested that transgender people are among those least likely to engage with religious institutions, largely because many have experienced rejection or judgment from Christian families, friends, and faith communities. Does that observation resonate with your own experience?
Ann-Christine: Yes, and it is very sad. I grew up in a Christian family, and I worked as a priest for many, many years. I would, under normal circumstances, feel completely at home in a church context. But from the moment I came out, I felt like a stranger. Not that other Christians were openly hostile to me, well, a few were, but many were friendly. The majority, however, remained silent. And when it comes to trans issues, churches are still generally very silent. I long for an end to that silence and for a time when Church leaders make a clear statement that being trans is OK and does not go against the will of God.
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| Courtesy of Ann-Christine Roxberg. |
Monika: What is it like for a trans person to attend church today? Do you think mere politeness is enough?
Ann-Christine: It is not easy for a trans person to go to church, let alone to join a Christian community. People are usually not openly hostile. They are polite, they smile. But trans people need more than a polite smile. It is like going to a party without being quite sure whether you are actually invited.
Monika: How do you envision an ideal church community for trans people?
Ann-Christine: For many, living as a trans person is a daily challenge and requires a great deal of energy. I long for the Christian community to be a place where trans people can feel safe and truly be at rest, knowing that they are not only accepted, in the way one accepts the flu, but embraced and appreciated. That would also benefit others and bring more freedom for everyone to live and breathe. In that sense, I believe trans people are God’s gift to humanity in general, and to Christians in particular. The way to reach that goal is, of course, knowledge. The opposite of love is not hate, but fear, fear of the unknown. Knowledge can drive out fear, put an end to prejudice, and give way to love.
Monika: Turning to your own denomination, how would you describe the prevailing attitude of your Church toward transgender people, not in theory, but in everyday practice?
Ann-Christine: I would describe the general attitude among Christians in my church as something like, “This is strange, and I do not know what to think about it. It is best to avoid contact, but if you do encounter a trans person, be kind, as a good Christian should.” My church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden, has not made any statement at all regarding trans people, which, as I have already tried to explain, leaves trans people on their own. I would like my church to ask trans people the same question Jesus asked the blind beggar outside Jericho: “What do you want me to do for you?”
Ann-Christine: I would describe the general attitude among Christians in my church as something like, “This is strange, and I do not know what to think about it. It is best to avoid contact, but if you do encounter a trans person, be kind, as a good Christian should.” My church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden, has not made any statement at all regarding trans people, which, as I have already tried to explain, leaves trans people on their own. I would like my church to ask trans people the same question Jesus asked the blind beggar outside Jericho: “What do you want me to do for you?”
Monika: Many people claim that the Bible has nothing to say about transgender experiences, or that it is even hostile to them. From your perspective as a theologian, what does Scripture actually reveal?
Ann-Christine: There is a great deal! The Bible is, in fact, very transgender-friendly. To begin with, both men and women are created in the image of God, which, to me, makes God transgender, containing both or all sexes. Adam, the first human being, is said to have sacrificed a rib for the formation of the woman. However, the Hebrew word translated as “rib” is elsewhere rendered as “side”. This means we can just as well say that God formed the woman from Adam’s side. That opens up the thought that Adam may, in effect, have been intersex, and that God used the appropriate “side” to form a woman.
Ann-Christine: There is a great deal! The Bible is, in fact, very transgender-friendly. To begin with, both men and women are created in the image of God, which, to me, makes God transgender, containing both or all sexes. Adam, the first human being, is said to have sacrificed a rib for the formation of the woman. However, the Hebrew word translated as “rib” is elsewhere rendered as “side”. This means we can just as well say that God formed the woman from Adam’s side. That opens up the thought that Adam may, in effect, have been intersex, and that God used the appropriate “side” to form a woman.
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| "Min pappa Ann-Christine" via wwd.se. |
Monika: Are there other examples in the Bible that you see as affirming transgender identities?
Ann-Christine: Then we have the eunuchs, who appear throughout the Bible. God makes a very clear statement about them, that they will be honoured and welcomed (Isaiah 56:3–5). Jesus refers to them in Matthew chapter 19 without any negativity, and the very first person baptized by the apostles was an Ethiopian eunuch. Jesus himself was, in many ways, a transgressor of norms. Being born to a woman without the involvement of a man would have made him highly suspicious in the eyes of other men. The way he constantly transgressed expectations of how a “real” man should behave makes him, in my eyes, a trans role model.
Monika: Shifting from theology to everyday life, how would you describe the current situation for transgender women in Swedish society?
Ann-Christine: I believe that for most trans women the situation is good, and compared to many other parts of Europe, I would say very good. We are moving, although slowly, away from viewing trans identity as something pathological. Trans healthcare is generally good, although waiting times before you can actually begin medical transition, such as SRS, continue to increase. The reason, of course, is that more and more people are choosing to accept themselves, which in turn is a result of a more open society. Quite simply, we know more about gender today than our ancestors did.
Monika: Even so, many trans women remain private about their identity. How does that affect public perception?
Ann-Christine: Still, there are very few trans women who are “public”. Most live fairly ordinary lives, where only a small number of people know about their background, and they usually want to keep it that way. I respect that, but it contributes to the general idea that transgender people are strange and rare. People simply do not realise that trans people are everywhere.
Monika: Are there differences in acceptance between trans women and crossdressers?
Ann-Christine: My impression is that when a trans woman reveals her “secret”, she is generally accepted and received well. For crossdressers, however, the situation remains very difficult, and very, very few want anyone to know. That fear is real, because a crossdresser can easily lose their job, even though the law formally prohibits discrimination on these grounds.
Monika: Role models seem important in shaping societal attitudes. How do you see the presence, or absence, of transgender icons?
Ann-Christine: Homosexuals have become widely accepted in society, and one of the main reasons is that well-known and respected individuals have come out and become “icons” or role models. Trans people still largely lack such “icons”. Yes, we have Laverne Cox. I deeply respect her as an actress and believe she speaks very well about transgender issues. But trans people have always been accepted on stage. In fact, the stage was often the only place where trans people were allowed to exist, provided you had the looks. We are therefore used to seeing what we thought were men dressing as women, and sometimes that was exactly what it was. But transsexualism is something entirely different from a stage performance, and people need to understand that. This is why we need trans women from all walks of life to show that transsexualism is just as “normal” as being left-handed.
Ann-Christine: I believe that for most trans women the situation is good, and compared to many other parts of Europe, I would say very good. We are moving, although slowly, away from viewing trans identity as something pathological. Trans healthcare is generally good, although waiting times before you can actually begin medical transition, such as SRS, continue to increase. The reason, of course, is that more and more people are choosing to accept themselves, which in turn is a result of a more open society. Quite simply, we know more about gender today than our ancestors did.
Monika: Even so, many trans women remain private about their identity. How does that affect public perception?
Ann-Christine: Still, there are very few trans women who are “public”. Most live fairly ordinary lives, where only a small number of people know about their background, and they usually want to keep it that way. I respect that, but it contributes to the general idea that transgender people are strange and rare. People simply do not realise that trans people are everywhere.
Monika: Are there differences in acceptance between trans women and crossdressers?
Ann-Christine: My impression is that when a trans woman reveals her “secret”, she is generally accepted and received well. For crossdressers, however, the situation remains very difficult, and very, very few want anyone to know. That fear is real, because a crossdresser can easily lose their job, even though the law formally prohibits discrimination on these grounds.
Monika: Role models seem important in shaping societal attitudes. How do you see the presence, or absence, of transgender icons?
Ann-Christine: Homosexuals have become widely accepted in society, and one of the main reasons is that well-known and respected individuals have come out and become “icons” or role models. Trans people still largely lack such “icons”. Yes, we have Laverne Cox. I deeply respect her as an actress and believe she speaks very well about transgender issues. But trans people have always been accepted on stage. In fact, the stage was often the only place where trans people were allowed to exist, provided you had the looks. We are therefore used to seeing what we thought were men dressing as women, and sometimes that was exactly what it was. But transsexualism is something entirely different from a stage performance, and people need to understand that. This is why we need trans women from all walks of life to show that transsexualism is just as “normal” as being left-handed.
END OF PART 1
All photos: courtesy of Ann-Christine Roxberg.
© 2014 - Monika Kowalska
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