UK's first non-binary priest reveals God guided them out after epiphany

Bingo, now working in Liverpool, visits area schools and hopes to inspire LGBTQ+ young people and show them they have a place in church

Bingo Allison says God guided them out after an epiphany (

Image: Bingo Allison)

Non-binary priest says God guided them out after epiphany.

Bingo Allison, 36, is to their knowledge the first openly non-binary priest to be ordained in the Church of England.

Bingo, who now works in Liverpool, visits area schools and hopes to inspire LGBTQ+ young people and show them they have a place in church.

Bingo, from West Yorkshire, grew up in a 'strongly religious' household and said he was brought up to believe that acting gay was a 'sin'.

But the parent-of-three embarked on a 15-year journey that included meeting other LGBTQ+ Christians that completely changed their previously "very traditional and conservative" view of life, reports the Liverpool Echo.

>

Bingo told Echo: "Before, my views were very traditional and certainly very conservative. Some might call them sectarian and there was a lot of ignorance and a lot of 'otherness'.

"I didn't take the time to learn from other people's experiences. I was definitely in denial and some of that denial translated into denial of others' identities."

p>

The 36-year-old was halfway through his curate training - a seven-year program - when he first encountered the term gender-queer.

That was seven years ago - and Bingo had originally considered postponing their gender identity disclosures - but found it difficult.

Bingo, who now works in Liverpool, visits schools in the area (

Picture:

Getty Images/Tetra images RF)

They said, "It was a lot harder than I thought to get out of myself and then stay in the closet.

There have certainly been many times before...