Pastor Phillip Phaneuf, 51, announced he is transgender during a Nov. 23 service, citing hormone therapy and updated pronouns, with church support.

Rev. Phillip Phaneuf, a 51-year-old Methodist pastor in Rochester, New York, publicly announced during a November 23, 2025, Sunday service that he is transgender, disclosing he has begun hormone therapy and will update his name and pronouns. He shared the news from the pulpit while wearing a rainbow stole, identifying as asexual and expressing that his role as pastor remains unchanged. His church leadership and bishop had been informed and supported the announcement. The revelation, made in a denomination with ongoing debates over LGBTQ+ inclusion, drew mixed reactions locally and national attention to faith communities navigating gender identity.