The writing of "THE TRANS EVANGELIST -- Sister Paula - My Story" will soon be completed
As we near the 2009 Christmas Season -- I ask you: Does this evangelistic outreach merit your support?
Paula Nielsen -
PO Box 2206 Portland, OR 97208
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"DRAG PREACHER CAN'T CHANGE IMAGE" screamed the 1988 headling of Margie Boule's Sunday column in Oregon's largest newspaper, THE OREGONIAN. The article proclaimed that Sister Paula Nielsen, then billed as "America's Drag Evangelist" was denied the use of a Christian song, "Changing The Image" on her public access television program. Nielsen was quoted as saying: "I don't like the term "drag evangelist". Boule also explained that "ever since she was a little boy, Nielsen always wanted to be the woman she was meant to be and to preach the Gospel of the Lord."
Publications including People Magazine, The Oregonian, The Gresham Outlook, The Advocate. did feature stories on the Evangelist. In 1994 Globe Magazine, a supermarket "rag", shouted: "TV PREACHER IS FELLA IN A FROCK" followed by a sub-heading: "FROM CUTE CHOIR BOY TO HOT GOSPEL GAL", with photos of Sister Paula from babyhood right up to the present.
Sister Paula appeared on national and international programs such as THE DAILY SHOW, SATURDAY NIGHT CLIVE (BBC), THE SHIRLEY SHOW (Canada), JOAN RIVERS, JENNY JONES, WORLD OF WONDER (BBC), TV PIZZA IN AMERICA (BBC), THE BIG END (end time series for the BBC). In 1996 STRANGE UNIVERSE did a piece entitled THE TRANS EVANGELIST. "That's perfect!" exclaimed Nielsen, adding "I can't believe I didn't think of that myself!).
This is a story you'll have to read to believe. Even then you'll know that every word must be true inasmuch as no one could ever make up the myriad of events that checkered the life of this unusual personage.
Born Larry Nielsen in 1938, becoming Paula Nielsen in 1963 -- and remaining in the feminine identity ever since -- this is a detailed account of the making of "Sister Paula" who brought joy and comfort to thousands, both as a preacher and as a entertainer. What events contribute to this pilgrimage?
What is a "transsexual?"
Are Trans people born that way?
Does sex reassignment surgery determine whether or not a person is "transsexual" or "transgender"?
Can a Trans person be a born again, Spirit-filled Pentecostal Christian and be called to preach?
The answer to these (and other) questions must come from Sister Paula herself.
READ ABOUT:
* Sister Paula's childhood -- experiencing the rejection of school classmates, tagged the "local fairy", denounced as a "sissy" by her father.
* Larry Nielsen's conversion to Christianity at the age of 12, accompanied by a definite call to preach the Gospel. Nielsen's experience called the "Baptism with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4) at a Pentecostal campmeeting at the age of 15. "My deep one-on-one experience with Jesus is what got me through those trying years of high school. As a teenage boy I was definitely a 'loner'", explains Nielsen.
* The journey of searching desperately to find her place in live; the events that led up to Nielsen's transition in identity, becoming a patient of Harry Benjamin, MD, a prominent Sexologist who coined the term "transsexual".
* A biological man, passing as a woman, in prestigious law firms as a legal secretary, involvement with prominent Pentecostal churches, including singing in a "tall girls' trio" and acting as personal secretary to a highly respected Foursquare minister. Later, working as a secretary at the world's oldest and largest theatrical agency, William Morris, in Beverly Hills.
* Nielsen's days in the "hippie subculture" in the early 1970's.
* Coming out of her "closet" by involvement in the formation of Metropolitan Community Church of Portland, a doorway back into the Gay community.
* Authoring the popular THOUGHTS FROM PAULA column in alternative lifestyle publications.
* Paula Nielsen's years as a cabaret entertainer, emulating the late great Sophie Tucker, billed as "Portland's Own "Red Hot Mama".
* Sister Paula's ministry to people with AIDS.
* Sister Paula performing at her 30th high school class reunion, starting out to entertain, and winding up preaching. This led to the formation of the Sister Paula public access television ministry -- eventually evolving to a world wide podcast outreach through the Internet -- including numerous You Tube clips.
* Sister Paula as a weekly guest on the Sir Darryl [Internet] Radio Experience
* Sister Paula returning to that "old time religion like we used to have", attending two large Pentecostal churches as a known transsexual TV preacher.
"Sister Paula",: "explains Nielsen, is the culmination of all my life's training, including both Bible study and show business training at Darcelle XV."
This fascinating story is one that will bless future generations with hope and healing. The story of one person's courageous struggle to be herself, swimming upstream against the current, being the person she believes God created her to be.
Says Sister Paula: "A friend says the book should say 'Sister Paula tells all'. I choose to put it this way:
"This is my story, the bad right along with the good, exactly as I remember it."
Friday December 4, 2009