Part 1: Causes of, & cures for, transgenderism
according to conservative Protestants
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Background:
As noted elsewhere in this section a transgender
individual is a
person who experiences Gender Identity Disorder (a.k.a. GID, Gender Dysphoria, Disorder of Sexual Differentiation, or DSD), Their genetic gender is different
from their perceived gender. Some describe themselves as a woman trapped in a man's body,
or vice versa. Others view themselves as having a male brain in a female body,
or vice versa. Still others do not identify with either gender, or identify with both.
According to the current thinking of human sexuality researchers and
therapists, gender dysphoria has a biological cause
that kicks in before birth. The main current theories suggest that it is caused by
fetal exposure to abnormal androgen levels, or is
genetically determined at conception by the structure of the individual's DNA.
Scientists have linked gender
dysphoria to fingerprint patterns and left-handedness -- two factors established
in the fetus within 15 weeks of gestation, in the second trimester. They have also linked it to a longer
version of the androgen receptor gene in the DNA of transsexuals.
Therapists have a zero success
rate in curing GID by changing the transgender person's perceived gender to match their birth-assigned gender. However, injestions of hormones and special surgical techniques can change the person's appearance to more closely appear to be of their perceived gender.
Most conservative Protestants base their beliefs about transsexuality directly on their firm
beliefs in gender and in particular on the role of men and women in churches,
the family and the workplace. These are
derived from their interpretation of key Bible passages and themes. They generally conclude that GID
is either chosen or a delusion, and that a transgender person can change their perceived gender to
match their genetic gender through prayer, therapy and/or being "saved." These beliefs are consistent with their concept of God as being caring, omnipresent, and omnipotent. It also agrees with their belief that God created only two genders, so that every individual is either a male or female.
Belief by various groups on the nature, cause, and cure of gender dysphoria:
Many Christian fundamentalists, other evangelicals, and other religious
conservatives strongly believe that both homosexuality
and transsexuality are "lifestyles" that are chosen by the individual. Some
believe that dysfunctional family dynamics and/or traumatic childhood
experiences may be contributing factors to their decision to become gay or
transgender. 1
Exodus International(EI)describes their organization as: "The
largest information and referral ministry in the world addressing homosexual
issues." They describe gender dysphoria as a form of personal gender
"confusion." EI implies that the transgender person is uncertain about their
gender and that they can modify their perceived gender to match their genetic
gender through prayer, ministry efforts, therapy, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior,etc.
These beliefs are in
direct conflict with beliefs that we have gleaned from personal
conversations with transsexuals and from information about gender dysphoria in
texts, in personal web sites by transgender persons, and from medical
studies. These sources conclude that no such confusion exists. They state that
transgender individuals are very
much aware of both their genetic gender and their perceived
gender. They are quite aware of the conflict between the two. They are quite certain that they cannot change their perceived gender. It is this
certainty that generally causes them extreme level of distress, and often suicidal
ideation.
The EI article:
Expresses concern that increasing numbers of youth will "lose years of
their lives to the bondage of gender confusion."
States that the movements to achieve equal rights for gays and transgender
persons are controlled
by Satan who is attempting "to distort God's
image on earth and claim the souls of His children."
Stresses that religious conservatives should love transgender and
other "broken people."
States that freedom is to be found in truth: the implication is that a
transgender person can resolve the conflict between their genetic and
perceived genders through prayer and therapy.
States that one's genetic gender is one's "true gender;" one's
perceived gender doesn't really count. 2 That is, a MTF (male to female transsexual) is still a male, even though the individual identifies and is accepted by family, friends, and coworkers as female.
The Christian Institute is a conservative Christian organization
serving the UK. They believe in the inerrancy of the
Bible and are pro-life. In their briefing about
transsexualism:
They define the gender of a person with gender dysphoria according to
their genetic gender. Thus, a male-to-female transsexual (MTF) is still
considered a
male. Most transsexuals, human sexuality researchers define their gender
according to their perceived gender. A post-operation male-to-female
transsexual (MTF) feels like a female, looks like a female, considers
themselves a female. Most consider her to be a female and refers to her as
"she."
Concerning sex reassignment surgery (SRS), they write: "A painful
operation cannot solve the mental dysfunction." Actually, the intent of SRS
is not to make a MTF transsexual believe that they are a male. It is to
change their physical appearance so that their perceived gender matches
their appearance.
They believe that God created humans so that everyone is either male or
female. They write:
"The human body is therefore a good gift of God and essential to the
human person. But the transsexual sees their body as an accident, as
denying their 'true self' which resides in their mind and emotions."
A transsexual who tries to change their gender from that listed in their birth
certificate is being "... fundamentally dishonest. You cannot alter a
fact of history."
They believe that it is not:
"... reasonable to assume that other biological
factors, e.g. brain structure, cause transsexualism. There is little
evidence for this and the plea 'I was made this way' was abandoned by
biologists long ago."
This seems to conflict with the findings of medical researchers who have
found links between gender dysphoria and both fetal exposure to abnormal
androgen levels and the structure of the person'sDNA.
The Christian Institute concludes:
"The Christian response to a transsexual, as with any other person,
should be prayer, care and counsel as for any with psychological
difficulties and where necessary repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. (Acts
20:21)" 3
Charles W Socarides (1922-2005) was a past president and co-founder
of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH).
He was a member of the Greek Orthodox church. Socarides was very highly respected by fundamentalist and other evangelical Christians -- particularly
those working in reparative therapy which attempts to convert homosexuals to heterosexuality. NARTH is
a very small professional mental health association with about 1,000 members. Unlike the much larger
professional associations, such as the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that has over
150,000 members, NARTH believes that homosexual behavior is a disorder, that it is chosen, and can be changed.
Socarides believed that there was a close link between homosexuality and gender
dysphoria. He asserted that "... transsexualism does not constitute an
independent diagnostic category." Viewing this simplistically: there is no
such thing as transsexuality. For example, a person who believes themselves to
be a MTF transsexual was born a genetic male, continues to be a male, has
homosexual feelings, and is overwhelmed with guilt at their desire to have
sex with another male. This extreme, unbearable conflict causes them to become
convinced that they are actually a female desiring heterosexual sex. Many
seek sex reassignment surgery so that they can look, feel, and act like a
female heterosexual without overwhelming guilt. Socarides felt that such surgery "... constitutes a
sanctioning of the transsexual's pathological view of reality and cannot
resolve the underlying conflict." In Socarides' view, only reparative therapy can do that. 4,5
Warren Throckmorton, associate professor of psychology
at Grove City College -- a conservative Christian institution -- in
Grove City, PA. He is also a past president of the American Mental Health
Counselors Association. He advocates that when pastors counsel
transgender individuals that the latter must be told that their desires
don't align with the Bible. He states that when scientific findings conflict with the interpretation of biblical passages by conservative Christians, that the latter must ignore the scientific evidence:
"Desires must be brought into alignment with biblical teachings, but it will
be inconvenient and distressful. ... Even if science does determine
differentiation in the brain at birth, even if there are prenatal influences,
we can't set aside teachings of the Bible because of research findings." 6
"The pressure for acceptance is ultimately a challenge to the authority of
Scripture and a violation of natural law. In the gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender movement there is a tendency to continually push the envelope in
trying to demand the acceptance of what most people perceive to be unusual
behavior." 7
Peter Sprigg, a senior fellow for policy studies at the FRC said that for a transgender person to ask to change their gender on a driver's license or birth certificate would essentially be:
"... A form of fraud. ... I think you have the objective reality of their genital makeup and their chromosomal makeup, weighed against the entirely subjective experience of so-called gender identity.I think the objective considerations are the only thing that should be recognized by the law." 8
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