From "Emily's Transformation" crowd-sourced fundraising page “This will be a celebration of the power of community.”
With these words Emily Pittman Newberry invited friends and supporters to a ceremony to celebrate her healing after gender confirming surgery. This Gratitude Ceremony was for all who contributed in some small or large way to support her journey.
With these words Emily Pittman Newberry invited friends and supporters to a ceremony to celebrate her healing after gender confirming surgery. This Gratitude Ceremony was for all who contributed in some small or large way to support her journey.
“My surgery is complete and I am well on the way to healing. I could not have done this without the help of the communities to which I belong. Please come to this celebration and accept my thanks. I want everyone to be there. Did you organize an appetizer party or contribute money? I want you there. Did you help out with logistics? I want you there. Did you send me your positive thoughts or prayers, pass on the word to your other friends or use newfound knowledge about transgender life to educate someone? I want you there. Please bring a single flower of your choice to place in a community container.”
On a Sunday afternoon, 30 friends came together in a circle to accept Emily’s thanks and, as she puts it, “to contemplate the importance of what we did together….my successful campaign and healing was uplifted by a sea of love.” As one expression of her gratitude, Emily announced that she would be paying it forward by helping a dear friend launch a similar campaign to raise funds for her own gender confirming surgery. Emily also sent everyone home with two symbols of her appreciation.
Emily offered the first, a signed broadside with three of her poems, to “serve as a reminder of the beauty of love when materialized in the things we say and do. A reminder that may help us to be mindful of the ways, small or large, that we can act lovingly every day.”
On a Sunday afternoon, 30 friends came together in a circle to accept Emily’s thanks and, as she puts it, “to contemplate the importance of what we did together….my successful campaign and healing was uplifted by a sea of love.” As one expression of her gratitude, Emily announced that she would be paying it forward by helping a dear friend launch a similar campaign to raise funds for her own gender confirming surgery. Emily also sent everyone home with two symbols of her appreciation.
Emily offered the first, a signed broadside with three of her poems, to “serve as a reminder of the beauty of love when materialized in the things we say and do. A reminder that may help us to be mindful of the ways, small or large, that we can act lovingly every day.”
The second, a single flower from the ceremony’s collective vase, would die in a few days, Emily reminded everyone. “As part of the compost it will return to the earth and help to bring new life into being. Similarly, our temporary community is passing away. Each of us will act like one of the molecules of the flower, returning to the web of relationships in which we are immersed. We will each find some way to bring about new life, mindful of the never-ending cycle of which we are a part.”
Life-Cycle Celebrant Dannielle Yates, a member of one of Emily’s women’s circles, helped create the ceremony. "Emily’s courage and strength are an inspiration," Dannielle says. "It was an honor to witness and support her transformation on the spiritual, physical, mental and emotional levels. It is easy to feel limited when caught in the ‘I have to do it myself’ belief. Once Emily surrendered to the vulnerability of asking for help, having faith that others would step forward to answer the call and knowing she was worthy of it, a powerful community rallied to make it so.”
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Thanks to Life-Cycle Celebrant Dannielle Yates for suggesting Emily’s story, and to Emily for sharing it. Visit Emily's indigogo page to learn more about the politics surrounding insurance coverage of gender-confirming surgery.
Life-Cycle Celebrant Dannielle Yates, a member of one of Emily’s women’s circles, helped create the ceremony. "Emily’s courage and strength are an inspiration," Dannielle says. "It was an honor to witness and support her transformation on the spiritual, physical, mental and emotional levels. It is easy to feel limited when caught in the ‘I have to do it myself’ belief. Once Emily surrendered to the vulnerability of asking for help, having faith that others would step forward to answer the call and knowing she was worthy of it, a powerful community rallied to make it so.”
* * *
Thanks to Life-Cycle Celebrant Dannielle Yates for suggesting Emily’s story, and to Emily for sharing it. Visit Emily's indigogo page to learn more about the politics surrounding insurance coverage of gender-confirming surgery.
Click on the book cover image to learn more about Emily’s book of poetry, Butterfly a Rose.
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