Classic Shemale Films Top May 2026

Written by Rick Founds
Links to contributors: Rick Founds

This has been one of my favorite songs for years. I contacted Rick back in 2002 about collaborating, partly because I had sung this song so many times. The recording is from Rick's Praise Classics 2 CD. - Elton, September 12, 2009


Lyrics

Lord, I lift Your name on high.
Lord, I love to sing Your praises.
I'm so glad You're in my life;
I'm so glad You came to save us.

You came from Heaven to earth
To show the way.
From the Earth to the cross,
My debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high.

Lord, I lift Your name on high.
Lord, I love to sing Your praises.
I'm so glad You're in my life;
I'm so glad You came to save us.

You came from Heaven to earth
To show the way.
From the Earth to the cross,
My debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high.

You came from Heaven to earth
To show the way.
From the Earth to the cross,
My debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high.

You came from Heaven to earth
To show the way.
From the Earth to the cross,
My debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high.



Copyright © 1989 Maranatha Praise, Inc (used by permission)

The modern LGBTQ rights movement has roots in transgender activism, though trans history has often been sidelined.

One of the most visible contributions of the transgender community to LGBTQ+ culture is linguistic. Concepts now considered standard within queer spaces—such as gender identity, gender expression, cisgender, non-binary, and genderfluid—originated or were popularized through trans scholarship and grassroots advocacy.

Before the widespread recognition of transgender identities, "gay culture" was often defined strictly by sexual orientation (who you go to bed with). The trans community introduced a paradigm shift: the distinction between sexuality and gender.

This shift broadened the entire LGBTQ+ movement. A lesbian space that once excluded trans women had to confront difficult questions: Is womanhood defined by anatomy or identity? Is community built on shared oppression or shared joy? Ultimately, trans inclusion forced LGBTQ+ culture to mature beyond a "born this way" narrative focused solely on biology, embracing a more sophisticated understanding of the fluid, constructed nature of identity itself.

The relationship between the transgender community and mainstream gay/lesbian culture is not always harmonious. Historians and activists acknowledge a painful trend: trans exclusionary radical feminism (TERFs) .

Within some corners of lesbian and feminist spaces, there is a vocal minority that argues trans women (male-to-female) are "men invading women’s spaces" or that trans men (female-to-male) are "traitors to the female sex." These fights have played out publicly in the media, with famous authors and athletes debating whether trans women are "real women." This creates a schism where the transgender community feels betrayed by the very "sisters" they fought alongside.

Conversely, there is the phenomenon of transnormativity—the pressure within LGBTQ culture to fit a specific medical narrative (must want surgery, must want hormones, must pass as cisgender) to be considered "legitimate." Younger trans activists are pushing back, arguing for the inclusion of non-binary, genderfluid, and agender individuals who exist entirely outside the gender binary.

For much of the 20th century, the medical establishment treated being transgender as a mental disorder (Gender Identity Disorder, or GID) while pathologizing homosexuality. The struggle for depathologization forged a powerful alliance.

The fight to remove homosexuality from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) in 1973 inspired trans activism to challenge its own classification. In 2013, the DSM-5 replaced GID with "Gender Dysphoria," reducing stigma but not eliminating it. This shared history of fighting a "sick" label has created deep empathy between trans and LGB communities.

Moreover, the devastating HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s united trans women (particularly sex workers) and gay men as mutual targets of government neglect. Activist groups like ACT UP included prominent trans voices who demanded healthcare access not just for cisgender gay men, but for everyone affected. The pink triangle, reclaimed as a symbol of gay pride, expanded to include the trans symbol—a merging that symbolizes intersectional struggle.

  • Key Distinction: Sexual orientation (who you love) vs. gender identity (who you are). A transgender person can be gay, straight, bisexual, or any other orientation. For example, a trans woman attracted to men may identify as straight; a trans man attracted to men may identify as gay.