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 | Identify themselves as either male or female. |
| Have genitalia that is clearly either male or female. |
| Have either a XX chromosome or a XY chromosome in every cell of their body indicating maleness or femaleness. |
Further, for the vast majority of people:
| The gender that they identify themselves as matches their genitalia and chromosomes. Some feel themselves to be a female, do have female internal and external sex organs, and do have XX chromosomes in cells throughout their body. Others feel themselves to be a male, do have male external sex organs, and do have XY chromosomes in cells throughout they body. |
However, in rare circumstances, people will identify themselves as being of one gender, while their genitalia and chromosomes point to the other gender. They are often referred to as Transgendered or Transsexual. Their condition is often referred to as gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder.
Some will describe having a permanent feeling of being a woman trapped in a man's body, or vice versa. This is sometimes described as having a male brain in a female body, or vice-versa. They can become profoundly depressed. Their death rate has been estimated at 50% by the age of 30 -- usually by suicide. It appears that therapy, counseling, and/or prayer have a zero success rate at resolving their internal conflict. Many go through a sexual reassignment process involving hormones and, optionally, surgery. The goal is to bring their physical appearance into harmony with their gender identity.
| Common evangelical usage of term and concepts | Usage by others * | Comments |
| "Gender confusion" | "Gender identity disorder" | "Confusion" implies uncertainty; "identity" implies certainty.. |
| Gender is determined at birth, by the person's DNA and genitalia. | Gender is normally determined at birth. However, for transsexuals, gender is determined later in life. | The difference generates a great deal of confusion, and makes dialogue difficult. |
| Gender is immutable | Gender can change. | Ditto. |
| Gender is determined by objective criteria: genitalia and chromosomes | Gender is determined by subjective criteria -- the person's gender identity. | Ditto. |
| A male is a person with male genitalia and XY chromosomes | A male is a person who identifies themselves to be male. | Ditto. |
| A female is a person with female genitalia and XX chromosomes | A female is a person who identifies themselves to be female. | Ditto. |
| Resolution is by changing gender identity to bring it into harmony with genetic gender via prayer and therapy | Resolution is by changing physical appearance to bring it into line with gender identity via hormones and, optionally, surgery. | There is essentially no room for compromise between these two concepts. |
* "Others" include most mental health professionals, transsexuals, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, religious liberals, etc.
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Copyright © 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious
Tolerance
Originally written: 2009-JAN-15
Latest update and review: 2009-JAN-15
Author: B.A. Robinson
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