Who Wants to be a Heretic? | Sulkiro Song | Legacy Project Queer Joy

Sulkiro Song (she/they) is a queer, asexual, and aromantic pastor based in Virginia. Born in Seoul, Korea, to a family of ministers, their path seemed clear: carry on the family line and become a pastor. However, at age five, their grandfather declared, "women cannot be pastors!"-their first encounter with gender discrimination in ministry. Struggling to identify with the word "queer" and navigating their sexuality, Sulkiro felt misunderstood and out of place. They knew they were asexual since middle school but were often teased by peers. It wasn’t until much later, during a pride march, that they encountered the ace flag and finally felt like they belonged.
Despite the initial discouragement, Sulkiro attended seminary, not just to study religion academically, but also to help themselves through deep religious trauma-a process they describe as "ridiculously expensive therapy." Although they didn’t take courses in preaching or pastoral care, they felt comfortable sharing what they were learning in seminary with their congregation. Today, serving as the pastor of HAN UMC, Sulkiro's sermons encompass queer, feminist, and anti-imperialist themes, reflecting their commitment to inclusivity and justice.
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CREDITS
Directed by Deborah Baik & Kimberly Young Sun
Interview & Edit: Kimberly Young Sun @kimberlyyoungsun
Camera: AJ Valente @ajyval, Janice Chung @janicekaramchung
Gaffer: Jason Chew @chewchomp
Sound: HJ Lee
Prop Stylist: Celine Son @celines0n
Production Coordinators: Yoon Perera Lee, Celine Son
On-site Therapist: Kim Konopka
KoreanAmericanStory.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to create and preserve the stories of the Korean American experience.

[@nadb5169]

this was beautiful, i love their experience and her way of sharing it and describing it