Theology in the Raw Transition, Detransition, and The Gospel: Kyla Gillespie
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Mar 19, 2026 Kyla Gillespie, founder of Renewed & Transformed Ministries and author of TransFormed, shares a faith-centered memoir of transition, detransition, and spiritual healing. She talks about childhood trauma, the pull of gender transition, a turning point with church leaders, the call to detransition, ongoing dysphoria, and building a ministry that reaches others with compassion and truth.
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Father's Abandonment Fueled Self-Destructive Coping
- Kyla traced her alcoholism and angry outbursts to her father's abandonment after he remarried and told her it was easier to start with a new family.
- She describes using drinking to numb pain from that wound, leading to blackouts and relationship harm until recovery in 2011.
Seeing A Teammate Transition Sparked Kyla's Decision
- Kyla first learned about transitioning when a close ball-hockey teammate announced she'd take testosterone and surgery, which sparked desire in Kyla to feel congruent.
- Seeing peers transition and public figures like Chaz Bono normalized the possibility and prompted Kyla to pursue medical transition.
Transition Brought Temporary Congruence But Not Full Resolution
- Transition brought Kyla partial relief because people began to perceive and address her as male, giving a temporary sense of congruence.
- Yet she later realized photos showed feminine Kyla and that transition was chasing desires rather than resolving deeper identity wounds.
