Britain’s ‘first non-binary CofE priest’ says ‘God guided me to the truth’

The Church of England’s ‘first’ non-binary vicar is a 36-year-old with three children who believes they were directed by God to embrace their gender identity. 

Bingo Allison, who defines as gender-queer and uses the pronouns ‘they/them’, experienced an epiphany seven years ago while reading a passage from the Old Testament. 

A third-generation vicar, Allison said they previously had a ‘very conservative and traditional’ outlook on life after being brought up to believe being gay was ‘sinful’. 

But the priest, who works in Liverpool, is now vocal about gender issues and uses social media to spread their message – including posting about how Jesus ‘loves sparkly eyebrows’. 

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Bingo Allison, 36, is gender-queer and to their knowledge the Church of England’s first openly non-binary priest

They grew up in a ‘strongly religious’ household in West Yorkshire and was raised to believe being gay was ‘sinful’

Allison spoke about their ’15-year journey’ to embrace their gender in an interview with the Liverpool Echo. 

‘I didn’t take the time to learn from other people’s experiences,’ Allison said. 

‘I was definitely in a lot of denial and some of that denial came out in denial of other people’s identities.’ 

Allison came out seven years ago halfway through the Church of England’s vicar training programme. 

They explained how the language which the bible originally used in Genesis 1:27 spoke about ‘from maleness to femaleness’ as opposed to men and women.

‘I was sitting there in the middle of the night when I realised I might need to run my life upside down – it was a deepening spiritual experience,’ they said.  

At that point Allison had only met two openly gay people and no trans people, and there were times when they questioned their new gender identity. 

Now they visit schools and speak to youth groups to encourage other LGBTQ+ people they have a place in the church. 

Allison uses social media to spread their message and in one playful post wrote how ‘Jesus loves sparkly eyeshadow’ 

A photo of Allison being ordained in 2020 at St Margaret’s Toxteth in the Diocese of Liverpool

A photo from the ceremony in September 2020. Allison believes they are the first non-binary Church of England vicar 

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Allison says they are constantly impressed by how ‘open-minded’ younger people are. 

A recent survey by Stonewall found that more than a quarter of younger people now identify as LGBT. 

The LGBTQ+ charity claimed 71 per cent of Gen Z respondents – those aged 16 to 26 – identify as straight.

The figure is a contrast to the Baby Boomer generation – those aged 56 to 75 – in which 91 per cent described themselves as straight. 

Of the next generation, Gen X, described as being those aged 43 to 56, Stonewall said 87 per cent said they were straight.

The figure was 82 per cent for Millennials – those aged 27 to 42 – according to the charity. 

In its report, which uses data from polling company Ipsos UK, Stonewall said the results show Britain is becoming a ‘rainbow nation’. 

They came out seven years ago halfway through the Church of England’s vicar training programme after having an epiphany while reading the Old Testament

Now they visit schools and speak to youth groups to encourage other LGBTQ+ people they have a place in the church