Transgender Actor Claims Cambridgeshire Church Refused Baptism Over Gender Identity
In a deeply personal and distressing account, a 73-year-old actor has publicly alleged that her local church denied her the sacrament of baptism explicitly because she is a transgender woman. Joann Carver, who has appeared in television series including The Bill, Holby City, and Doctors, joined the Lighthouse Church in Ely, Cambridgeshire, in April 2022 with the hope of deepening her faith.
A Journey of Faith Met with Rejection
Ms Carver, after integrating into the church community, formally requested to be baptised in June 2024. She diligently completed a pre-baptism 'alpha' course alongside five other participants. However, in June 2025, she was informed she would not be permitted to participate in the baptism ceremony when the other five individuals were baptised.
A week later, her partner, Hannah Davis, who had been a member of the Lighthouse Church for 21 years, asserted that a pastor provided a shocking condition. Ms Davis claimed the pastor stated Ms Carver could potentially be baptised if she wore trousers and grew a beard—a suggestion perceived as demanding she present in a more masculine manner.
Church Response and Subsequent Move to Inclusive Congregation
A spokesperson for the Lighthouse Church told Metro newspaper that the church did 'not recognise the characterisation of the pastoral conversation'. The spokesperson added, 'In accordance with our calling as Christians and belief in biblical truth, Lighthouse Church welcomes all people and is committed to treating everyone with love, dignity, and respect as humans made in the image of God. Our leaders acted in good faith and with sincere pastoral intent throughout.'
The couple, feeling profoundly hurt and rejected, subsequently left the Lighthouse Church. They joined the Renew Inclusive Church in Cambridge, where Joann Carver was joyfully baptised on October 26, 2025. She described the experience as 'fabulous' and stated she was 'still buzzing from it'.
Emotional Toll and Personal History
Ms Carver expressed the severe emotional impact of the incident. 'I've barely been able to leave the house since they told Hannah I'd have to wear trousers and grow a beard,' she said. 'For over two years they made me feel welcome and within a week made me feel like dirt... Lighthouse Church have made me feel inhuman and ashamed to be me. That was one of the lowest points of my life.'
She recounted knowing from a very young age that she was female, not enjoying boys' games and desiring to wear girls' clothing. After coming out in spring 2017, she changed her name by deed poll in October that year, began hormone therapy a year later, and underwent gender-affirming surgery in February 2022.
Her journey to faith is intertwined with her transition. 'I was agnostic before my operation,' Ms Carver explained. She met Ms Davis on the Pink Cupid app in December 2021, and it was Ms Davis's prayers during her surgery that led her to believe in God. 'Hannah prayed for me throughout the procedure, and when I woke, I felt no pain, so I knew her prayers had been answered, and that's how I found God.'
Broader Context and Church Doctrine
The church spokesperson provided further context on their theological stance, stating, 'As a Christian community we affirm the historic and biblical teaching that sex is biological and a good gift from God.' Ms Carver said the pastor had told her she was living in sin with Ms Davis because she was a woman, highlighting a doctrinal conflict regarding her gender identity.
This case raises significant questions about inclusion, doctrine, and pastoral care within religious communities, particularly concerning transgender individuals seeking spiritual belonging and sacraments.
