Clergyperson, 53
Why They’re Interesting: Jess Peacock is not your average pastor. The clergyperson of Community Church of Chesterland is covered in tattoos and piercings and paving the way for acceptance and advocacy in religious settings. Their current project, Queer Cleveland, is an interactive publication that helps raise the flags of local artists across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Coming Out and Coming Back: Raised in the Evangelical depths of central Ohio, Peacock followed a life of rigid religious routine, to which a child coming to terms with their identity could not conform. Their 20s were spent out of the church, reconstructing their beliefs — and ultimately finding their way back. “I have always seen value in the potential of religion. I mean, for all the horrors that religion has wrought through history, it’s also brought a lot of relief.”
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The Miracle at MTSO: Peacock’s silver lining struck when they decided to pursue an education in theology at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. “On the day that I visited, there was a transgender person doing the chapel [service]. I am transgender. I was like, ‘This is a great sign, right?’”
An Unbroken Spirit: A 2023 arson attempt, following a drag brunch with a Chardon restaurant, put Community Church of Chesterland on high alert, despite previous successes like hosting Geauga county’s first-ever Pride festival. “It’s always sort of bouncing around in there. I just refuse to live in fear. I’m not going to base my life on what people who hate think of me or what they think they want to do to me.”
Holy Horror: Alongside their current roles, Peacock is also an author, penning the novel Such a Dark Thing: Theology Of The Vampire Narrative In Popular Culture. “It’s looking at how the horror genre can do what, oftentimes, we hope Scripture does, which is remove the mask from our cultural illusions and see the monster underneath.”
1970s: The decade in which Peacock discovered their unique love of professional wrestling. “I was locked in, and it became a bonding point for me and my son.”
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