Today I was struck by this news story - Transgender Student Suit Goes to Maine High Court. It is about a lawsuit filed against a Maine school due to their child's being sent to his/her own bathroom due to being "transgender."
As homosexuality is more and more normalized, the push for transgender rights and normalization will pick up and has already started to happen. Now, we have not been the best at approaching homosexuality, but at least we have had a bit of an idea on what to do on this issue by sharing Christ and calling people to leave behind all previous lifestyles that go against Christ's call.
But the transgender issue and how to deal with all of its complexities, is, I confess above my pay grade. They definitely did not teach a class on this in seminary.
In some cases, people may be genuinely confused due to their upbringing or simply are living out some sinful desires. But what about those who are born with both male and female genitals? As another news story this week shows- South Carolina sued for removing male genitals of ‘hermaphrodite’ t... - this does happen sometimes.
I can remember Dr. Mike Gibson, one of my biology professors at Oklahoma Christian University, mention that people can be born in this way. I was really disturbed, as that was a physical thing, not merely behavioral. Then, of course, I forgot about it. And I have never met a transgender person before that I know of. But our Christian friends on the coasts have, and that will soon filter down to us in the South.
So, what do we counsel people born with both male and female parts? What do we do with those that are born this way and had surgery done on them, as with South Carolina story above? If people have elected to do gender reassignment surgery? (On the latter, are they to be counseled to try to reverse this surgery?) What "lifestyle" should we call them to? Surely all people can find redemption in Christ--but what would this look like for them.
How would we reach out to this group? What would be good news for them? A practical question--what bathroom would we send them to if they had had surgery? Again, I have no personal experience on this issue, whereas I have counseled with people who struggle with homosexuality. So I would be very glad to hear your thoughts on this issues.
Comment
Thank you, Chancellor! I read the article that you cited. You have made a perhaps needed distinction between transgendered people and hermaphroditism. This is good to consider.
There are those who have suggested that "gender" is a fluid spectrum and that people fall onto different parts of the spectrum; thus, to those who suggest this, there is no strict "male or female" (contrary to the statement in Genesis that God created male and female).
The notion of "transgender" is largely one where someone thinks he or she is the opposite gender of what the person's physical body indicates (though some have suggested there are genetic differences between male and female, and perhaps this is something for which a person could be tested). This isn't the same thing as the (relatively rare) hermaphrodite (person born with male and female genitalia). The issue is one of unnatural thoughts and feelings, not behavior. How do we deal with the disordered thinking?
Sy Rogers is a Christian who went through the struggle, though he also confused what was going on within him with homosexuality (there's a difference between being a male attracted to males and an "I-think-I'm-really-female" attracted to males). Here's his story, published long ago by Keith Green's Last Days Ministries: http://www.lastdaysministries.org/Articles/1000008622/Last_Days_Min... .
What should we do? First, address the salvation issue: has God granted this person repentance and brought him (or her, there are women who think they're really men) to salvation? If not, then we need to start with presenting the gospel. If the person has been granted repentance and salvation, then we need to deal with the disordered thinking - not through psychology or other ungodly worldly philosophies, but through the sufficiency of Christ and His word. Granted, there are aspects of what it means to be male or female that are culturally based; but I'm not referring to that when I refer to dealing with the disordered thinking. I'm referring to the difference between what gender a person was born (as indicated by the genitalia) and what is going on inside the person's mind. And, again, hermaphroditism (or "intersex) is a separate issue. In all, we need to help the "transgendered" or "transsexual" change their thinking.
Here is a recent CNN news story that came out last week on a first-grader who is transgender who won the right to use the girls' restroom. http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/24/us/colorado-transgender-girl-school/i... Shows this is real issue.
@John Dobbs - John, I too think that we are looking at a difficult future for this group. When we are not even sure ourselves what to tell someone in this condition--and therefore are uncertain what is right--then it makes it hard to our people what they should do. That, I think, is the issue. There are no really super easy answers on this that I know of. But maybe those with experience in this area can enlighten us. Thanks!
@Tara - Tara, thanks for doing the math for us to see how we are talking about millions of people in the US that have mixed genitals to some degree or another. Also, it is a good reminder that those who were born this way obviously did not choose their condition. That of course, brings up all kinds of questions about God--why would he allow this to happen? And if anatomy could be mixed up, could other things in the brain that control sexuality also get mixed up? That is at least a fair question to ask.
Good comments from Jerry and Tara ... but I do not perceive the church at large to adopt these views. I hope I'm just wrong on that matter, but the polarization I see in the homosexual question and the political discussions lead me to believe that this will also be a giant challenge. I am pessimistic that transgendered people will find a truly warm welcome in the current church climate. Will they have transgendered churches (such as some of the 'gay' churches that exist today? Will they just give up on God, since His people will not demonstrate the spirit of Christ toward them? I hope for better ... but I do not know how it will go.
Being born with genitals of both genders is sometimes called being "intersex," and the term "hermaphrodite" is sometimes used in cases where it doesn't actually apply. Intersex can mean that one appears to be of one gender on the outside, but has reproductive organs of the other gender on the inside. Or there may be, or appear to be, organs for both genders on the outside. Basically "intersex" is pretty broad, and applies to anyone who has SOME characteristics (organs) of both genders. Up to 1% of live births every year (in America) exhibit these traits.
That's up to 40,000 people born PER YEAR with organs for both sexes. So, if "most" people live to be age 80 (or, that's the average life expectancy), the we can assume that somewhere up to 3.2 MILLION people are alive in America who were born this way. (Obviously some have died. But I'm just going by life expectancy, so I don't have to create some algorithm to account for those who died before age 80, and those who live well past 80.)
Personally, I think that if it were JUST the 40,000 born last year were the issue, that's enough for us to realize that this issue needs some serious compassion.
But 3.2M? That's a lot of people who clearly were "born" this way, and it it could never be assumed to be their decision.
Specifically, the toddler mentioned above, in S. California. He was born with both types of genitals, the doctors (before his parents adopted him) chose to make him female, and as he has grown up, it has become pretty durn obvious that he should have been a boy. Meaning his hormones have taken him that direction, with no choice on his part. Poor guy!
I think JS's comments are great, but one issue I think is a little off is restrooms. If that guy goes into the men's room, he is not lusting after the men. He considers himself to be one. I don't know...that's a big issue, but maybe not as much for women. We even go tee tee in private. So it's not that we necessarily need single seat restrooms. We could just make sure there are dividers in all men's rooms.
OK, back to the point: If 1% of all live birth are intersex, and you know 100 people, then you know someone who was born that way. You didn't know it, but you've been going into the restroom with them your whole life. (I don't mean to still be on JS's comments. I'd be addressing this part right now, anyway.) Most of us know a lot more than 100 people. The "very social" among us know 500+. So you know at least 5 people born that way, whether you realize it or not.
For some of these people, it was "easy." Their parents didn't have the doctors do anything when they were little, and as they got older, and it became evident what gender they should be, they dealt with it and had the surgery to remove the extra parts. For some, their parents "guessed right," and DID have the doctor remove some parts, and it ended up to be the right decision. Some may be still living with both parts. But for some...their parents, or doctor, or someone chose wrongly years ago, and removed the wrong parts. And as they grew up, it became clear which gender they should have been. That is clearly not the child's fault or decision.
I think we need to throw "gayness" out of this discussion almost entirely, because it't not the case that most "intersex" people end up gay.
Good thoughts, Jerry. I will seek to digest what you have shared and think on this. Thank you for seeking to share a biblical perspective on this.
I presume that Paul's premise in 1 Corinthians 7 that each should remain in the condition s/he was in when called would apply to your question about "reversing" surgical alteration - and probably also to whether or not to have such surgery.
People with both sets of genitals obviously present "privacy" issues in "public" restrooms or in gym class at school. Will we have to have unisex restrooms to provide a proper measure of privacy for everyone, with all restrooms becoming "single occupier" as on airplanes? This is more an administrative and facility aspect of the issue.
The greater difficulty will be in the attitudinal aspect. Here, the church will need to learn to show love and compassion - just as we would if someone were born blind or with no arms. Certainly the God who forms us in the womb will not condemn someone for the way He allowed s/he to be born, would He? When He says He loves the whole world, we need to learn to do the same.
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