The Woodlands
By Jami Yandle
Introducing The Woodlands
The UUA announced the launch of “The Woodlands,” a new virtual all-ages trans pastoral care program scheduled to begin in September 2025. The program will feature monthly meetings with breakout rooms for different community groups and co-facilitated check-ins. Participants are encouraged to register for the pilot year, which will run through May 2026.
Welcome to The Woodlands
A Sacred Space for Trans Belonging & Collective Liberation
The Woodlands is a joyful, affirming sanctuary for trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender expansive, and intersex people of all ages—as well as the parents and caregivers who love them. Rooted in Unitarian Universalist values, this monthly gathering offers spiritual grounding, healing justice, and a community where participants are celebrated as beloved, whole, and holy.
Launched in September 2025, The Woodlands has already become a vibrant home for connection. Here, trans lives aren’t “issues” or debates—they’re sacred. Together, we create space for rest, resilience, laughter, and deep care.
Each gathering centers a monthly theme, gentle ritual, shared story, and breakout groups tailored for different ages and identities:
- Saplings: trans youth (13–high school)
- Sycamores: trans adults (18+)
- Sequoias: parents & caregivers of trans and non-binary people
- Sequoias Jr.: parents & caregivers accompanying children 12 and under
Every group is nurtured by trained chaplains who hold space for stories, tears, delight, and healing. We close each gathering as one community—with blessings to carry into the wider world.
Participants consistently share how transformative it feels to move from isolation to connection, from fear to courage, from despair to hope. The Woodlands is growing quickly because the need is real—and the joy is even more real.
Trans lives are sacred. Trans joy is revolutionary. And together, we are building a world where our communities flourish