Session 25: Is Gender Fluid?
Notes
Transcript
(Intro Music starts with first slide - read intro and move forward)
Welcome to Apologetics and the Gospel. My name is Pastor Jonathan White, and I am the Lead Pastor at CrossPointe Family Church in Winfield, WV as well as a practicing Emergency Medicine Physician.
Question for Today: Is Gender Fluid?
Question for Today: Is Gender Fluid?
I want to start off with praying that this discussion is both informative, thought-provoking, truth-filled, grace-filled, and loving. My goal is to cover this topic with truth and grace. I pray that you have a better understanding of this topic and are better equipped to talk with those who might be struggling with some of these concepts.
Today, we are seeing a lot of media coverage on gender. Let’s start with some definitions that we might hear regarding this topic.
What is Gender Dysphoria?
What is Gender Dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria is defined as a persistent unease involving the physical characteristics of one’s gender. It is often accompanied by a strong identification with the opposite gender.
The word dysphoria refers to an emotional state characterized by anxiety, depression, or unease.
So in essence, gender dysphoria, at its core, is an emotional state.
What is Gender Theory?
What is Gender Theory?
Gender theory is a set of ideas that considers gender as a cultural and historical construct and denies that biology determines gender.
What is Gender Identity?
What is Gender Identity?
Simply stated, gender identity is defined as the gender that one identifies with.
According to gender theory, one’s gender identity may or may not match one’s biological gender.
What is Gender Fluidity
What is Gender Fluidity
This refers to change over time of a person’s gender identity. In essence, it assumes that one may change genders over time. Some may even go back and forth or even choose to not identify as either gender (namely nonbinary).
What is Transgender?
What is Transgender?
A transgender man is a biological woman who has transitioned into a man.
A transgender woman is a biological man who has transitioned into a woman.
According to the NIH, approximately 0.6% of the US identifies as transgender.
I hope that those definitions have helped clarify some of the common terms and current teachings in modern psychology regarding gender fluidity.
Interestingly, gender dysphoria is a newer term. It used to be referred to as gender identity disorder. In fact, when I was in medical school (I graduated in 2011), gender identity disorder was considered a mental health disorder. It was not until 2012 that the DSM-V was released and updated to change the name to gender dysphoria.
Gender identity disorder was understood to be a condition that was be treated with counseling and possibly medications. It was seen as a delusional disorder that needed to be corrected, much like somatization disorder which is a disorder in which psychological and emotional factors cause physical symptoms.
Yet, because of the influence of gender theory, gender identity disorder was reclassified from a disorder to a condition requiring affirmation and not treatment.
Are There Comorbidities Associated with Gender Dysphoria?
Are There Comorbidities Associated with Gender Dysphoria?
According to a recent article in JAMA Psychiatry which studied persons with gender dysphoria, the risk of past 12-month and lifetime mental disorders, substance use disorders, and suicidal ideation were higher than controls without gender dysphoria. It was also found that lifetime presence of suicidal plans and suicide attempts were also significantly higher in those with gender dysphoria.
(2) - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2824336
This finding of suicidality is found consistency in the scientific literature. This increased risk is found in many different countries - not just the US. Even in countries such as Denmark, which is extremely progressive in their gender dysphoria acceptance, the suicide rates are far higher than that for normal controls in the population.
(3) Denmark - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2806531)
This data leads us to many questions that we need to address as a medical community. It appears that politics and gender theory have heavily influenced any scientific approach of studying gender dysphoria. The push to normalize gender fluidity has kept the medical community from asking important questions such as:
Is gender transitioning safe?
What are the long-term side effects of such transitioning?
What tests, evaluations, and vetting need to be done before such a transition would even be able to occur?
Is the emotional state of dysphoria in some teens a permanent state or just a ‘phase’ that they may be going through?
How hard it is to transition back to your biological gender?
These are questions that are not being asked by much of the medical community. Because of the progressive push in politics and among medical groups such as the AMA among others, gender conversion therapy has been banned in many areas. The medical community has stopped investigating any other approach to those with gender struggles and have decided to buy into gender theory hook, line, and sinker.
This type of medicine is not scientific at all. Many in the medical community are performing Hitler-like experiments on young persons. They are conducting experimentation on many young people through hormonal replacement and surgical procedures that have no long-term proof and no long-term safety data.
Children and Gender Dysphoria
Children and Gender Dysphoria
The diagnosis of youth with gender dysphoria is skyrocketing as well. New diagnosis of gender dysphoria in those 6-17 has gone from 15,172 in 2017 to 42,167 in 2021. More and more children are being brought to doctors by their parents for hormonal therapy and surgery.
As of 2021, 1,390 US children from 6-17 were receiving puberty blockers. In that same year, 4,231 children from 6-17 were receiving active hormonal therapy (4).
According to an article in JAMA From August 23,2023, the number of gender affirming surgeries nearly tripled from 2016 to 2019. From 2016-2020, there were 48,019 people in the US that underwent gender affirming surgery with 7.7% of them or 3,678 undergoing gender affirming surgery who were aged 12-18 (5).
Unfortunately, this data likely does not include all who are undergoing this therapy or have underwent surgeries. It can be difficult to track some of these due to the cash pay nature of many of them. More incomplete recent data shows an upward trend of these surgeries and hormonal medications given. There is also a push to see these surgeries and hormonal therapies done at younger and younger ages to be “more effective.”
(4) https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-transyouth-data/
(5) https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2808707?resultClick=3
That is a lot of information. Obviously, we see that this is becoming more and more of a common issue in our world.
We see that scientifically, this is condition is poorly understood. But what does the Bible have to say about it?
Let’s dive into some Scriptures that teach us the truth of God’s Word.
You Were Designed with a Purpose
You Were Designed with a Purpose
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
We were created in the image of God to glorify God. We were created as male and female. No other options are given. God created each person as they should be.
Although not everyone will be called to have children, His design has prepared the way for male and female to procreate and to have offspring that would worship Him.
God Designed Two Genders
God Designed Two Genders
As we saw above, God created two genders - both in His image. When we attack our gender, we attack the very image of God and those bearing His image. This is a realm that we have no right to meddle in.
Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:5 clearly show that marriage was designed for a man and a woman to share. Two genders complementing one another in marriage.
The Scriptures are also clear in Romans 1:26-27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9 that sexual activity outside of a marriage between a man and woman is unnatural, immoral, and sinful.
Our Bodies Do Not Belong to Us
Our Bodies Do Not Belong to Us
The Scriptures tell us that our bodies are not to be used as instruments of sin.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
We are to use our bodies to glorify God. They are not a means to gratify the sinful lusts of our flesh.
We have no right to desecrate our bodies that are to make much of Christ.
Our Identity is Much More Than a Gender
Our Identity is Much More Than a Gender
The struggle of gender dysphoria is the attempt to find one’s identity in one’s gender and not in Christ alone.
For us who have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, we are told that we are a new creation!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
We are holy and set apart for Christ. We are more than our gender! We are sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Will not our gracious Heavenly Father help us through the struggles of confusion in our world?
How Do We Address to Those in Our Churches Struggling with Gender Dysphoria?
How Do We Address to Those in Our Churches Struggling with Gender Dysphoria?
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
We may find those in our churches who may struggle with sexual immorality and gender dysphoria. We must lovingly embrace and encourage and exhort our brothers and sisters to repentance and reliance on the Lord to help them battle against the sins of the flesh. We must avoid shaming them and seeing ourselves as better than those with struggles such as these. We must speak the truth - absolutely - but it must be done in love and grace.
May we commit to helping our brothers and sisters who struggle with sin, and help them experience the freedom that only Christ can provide.
How Do We Address Those Outside the Church Struggling with Gender Dysphoria?
How Do We Address Those Outside the Church Struggling with Gender Dysphoria?
The number one eternal killer of people in our world today is sin. The most pressing issue in the lives of everyone on planet earth is sin and lostness. Those who struggle with gender dysphoria need to repent of their sins and embrace their Savior - namely the Lord Jesus Christ - before they can ever hope to make any progress against the lusts of the flesh. They must believe in Jesus Christ:
That He is God-made-flesh who came to earth some 2,000 years ago, lived a sinless a life, died on the cross, and rose three days later. They must repent, or turn from their sins, and place their faith and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
Only then can they make any progress in the struggle against gender dysphoria or any of the other sin struggles in their lives.
Some Closing Thoughts:
Some Closing Thoughts:
Time would fail to discuss nature verses nurture. The effects of sexual abuse are felt by many well into adulthood. Many who struggle with gender dysphoria and other sexual sins have been victims of sexual abuse as children. We also know that the fall of man has led to sin causing problems throughout our bodies. It is difficult to figure out where nature and nurture have their place in this struggle. There are even a select group of rare exceptions that are born with ambiguous genitalia refereed to as hermaphrodites. These children have a genetic gender but may be born with both sets of gonads. Some have sadly been truly misgendered in the past. These very rare exceptions are sadly victims in the fight of gender ideology.
However, our focus need not be on what we cannot control - namely our past and our genetics. We must focus on the cross. Jesus has the power to help us overcome any sin and struggle. Philippians 4:13 states:
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
We do not have to remain a victim, my friends. Whatever our struggle is - whether it is sexual sin, anger, pride, fear, anxiety, depression, or anything else - with the help of Christ we can overcome. The battle may be rough and difficult, but we do not have to remain a victim. We worship the overcoming God...
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
(Slide Closing 1)
This presentation has been put together to strengthen the faith of believers and to challenge the unbelief of others. I pray that you have found this presentation helpful.
Also, please note that this 10-15 minute presentation cannot exhaustively address most issues. My prayer is that it stimulates you to personally research further, and I am assured that you will find the Word of God proven time and time again.
(Slide Closing 2 with outro music)
Feel free to email any ideas you would like to see addressed by emailing me at crosspointewv@gmail.com. There are slides prepared for each of these presentations which can be accessed at our church website at crosspointefamily.church and select ATG. God bless and have a blessed week.