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When Bet Mishpachah published a hardbound prayer book more than a quarter-century ago, the Washington-based LGBTQ minyan wanted to make sure the text included women and included a gender-neutral word for God. At the time, making women equal to men was an innovation.
But times have changed. Again. Gender identities that aren't strictly male or female are becoming part of religious conversations.
Two years ago, the group's liturgy committee decided times had changed enough since 1991 to warrant an update. The prayer book, "Shavat Va-Yinafash," would have to recognize those who were not women or men.
Last week, Bet Mishpachah began using a newly published hardbound prayer book, or siddur. It includes updated prayers and supplementary readings that deal with LGBTQ activism and gender diversity - many of which have been used in the congregation's services before, but were not part of the prayer book.
"The book in '91 was very binary," said Rabbi Laurie Green. "It was concerned about including women, so it was 'women and...