The Church of England will vote in July on creating a ‘baptism-style’ service for congregants who have changed their sex. The proposed service will celebrate the person’s transition from one sex to another. Transgender priest Rev Rachel Mann, rector of St. Nicholas Burnage and a minor canon at Manchester Cathedral, praised the scheduled vote on the issue. ‘Trans people feel powerfully called to be recognised in their “chosen” name’, Mann said. ‘An opportunity to be publicly introduced to God is therefore significant. I think this is what the proposed liturgy aims to do. It will be symbolically powerful. The extent to which it is baptism will be debated by General Synod, of course, but this liturgy is a welcome move to affirm trans people.’ Others have spoken out against being so welcoming of the transgender lifestyle. Speaking recently on Radio 4, Mann said this is not a ‘transgender’ liturgy but a ‘transition’ liturgy, solely for people who have had sex change operations.