In his brand-new Stand to Reason University course, Transgenderism: Truth and Compassion, Alan Shlemon explains why we should follow God’s guidance for our gender and clarifies some key words that come up in discussions.
Transcript
What is the real story behind trans identity, and how can we politely discuss it or handle our interactions with friends and family who do? In this program, Transgenderism: Truth and Compassion, I want to impart that knowledge to you. I’ll introduce you to some important terms and provide an answer to the basic query, “Who says who you are?” in this first category.
You’ve probably heard of GoPro. They are the business behind the little action cameras that record extreme sports footage. Then, while the cameras are mounted on their hat, surfing, or under a wheel, individuals can be seen in their promotional videos jumping cars and trucks, skiing off mountains, scuba diving along stunning reefs. The film is certainly amazing, but I do have some questions. How far can a GoPro be submerged? What is the lowest temperature that it can withstand? How can its power life be maximized? Is it possible to mount it so that it won’t unintentionally fall off? GoPro users should be aware of what this lens is capable of. Who is the most qualified person to respond to those queries today? Would it be a well-known performer? Most likely not. How about a physician? Even less. What about a lawmaker from the United States? They wouldn’t offer the best assistance once more. The experts at GoPro would be the best to respond to my inquiries. They are the people who chose the materials, designed the gadget, and manufactured it. They are aware of its limitations and how to make the most of it. Every GoPro camera comes with an owner’s guide that is provided by the manufacturer of the machine because, after all, they are the ones who are in a position to understand how it is supposed to work. It explains to the camera owner several other crucial restrictions and features, including how much underground you can take it, what temperatures it can withstand, and how to maximize its battery life. The owner’s guide contains instructions that must be followed, which can result in injury or catastrophic loss.
In a similar vein, there are many inquiries we people have about ourselves. How were we created to survive? How can we forge bonds of friendship and marriage? Should there be a limit to what can be done sexually? What’s the most effective way to end conflict? There is a never-ending record of crucial inquiries. Who is the most qualified person to respond to those queries, once more? May we pay attention to a newscaster? A scientist? Perhaps also a famous person from Hollywood? Of course, none of those individuals are the most skilled. Our designer—our engineer—would be the best person to respond to those questions. He created us and intended for us to operate in a specific manner. He is our creator. In fact, he has also given us an owner’s manual that we refer to as the Bible, in which we can find many other instructions on how to live our lives, build relationships, act sexually, and resolve conflicts.
It makes sense to pray to God. He is, after all, the one who created us. He is the one who is most familiar with how we should operate, and disobeying the instructions in our owner’s manual—the Bible—can even result in harm or severe disappointment. Therefore, in this program, we’ll examine what the Bible says about who we are and how we should behave. We are aware that our creator speaks through the created universe, also known as public discovery, and that we can learn wisdom from that discovery as long as humanity learns the truth about the world he has created. This revelation is referred to as special revelation by our maker. Therefore, we’ll also examine what liberal research has shown about our comprehension of natural sex and ideas like gender identity.
Let’s identify some words that are pertinent to this subject, in reality. According to their actual sex characteristics, a person can be classified as either male or female. In recent years, some people have asserted that there are more than two sexes or that they fall somewhere in the middle.
The concept of the sexual spectrum, which rejects the notion that there are only two types of people—male and female—is that people can be classified as male, female, or fall into a range of variations in between, is essentially what it means.
Gender identity is a mental notion of whether you are male, female, or another gender. Additionally, according to contemporary female theory, your natural sex and gender identity may differ. So, for instance, you might have a feminine gender identity despite being medically male.
When a person’s gender identity does not match their biological sex, they are said to be transgender. Therefore, because her self-perception differs from that of her physical figure, a natural female whose gender identity is male may be referred to as transgender.
A person who shares their biological sex with their gender identity is referred to as a transgender person. My biological sex is therefore male, and my gender identity—or sense of self—is also male. I would therefore be categorized as cis. However, this term assumes that transgender identity, which is the same condition, is a genuine and common identity. Therefore, even though society might classify me as cisgender, I don’t use that term to describe myself because I completely reject that classification system.
The stress a person feels because their gender identity does not correspond to their biological sex is known as gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria sufferers frequently try to make their bodies match their gender identities in an effort to get rid of their stress.
A variety of cultural, physiological, and health interventions known as gender-affirming care are intended to help and affirm a person’s gender identity, particularly when they are dealing with gender dysphoria. The objective of these treatments is to align a person’s body and habits with their gender identity because they assume that a person is their true self.
Gender is a term that, depending on the situation, can have several interpretations. It was once a word for biological sex, but now it can also be used to describe many, many different things, including gender roles, gender identity, and sex expression. Since the term is ambiguous and people frequently conflate on its meaning, which causes conversations to be unclear, I don’t advise using it unless you qualify it.
There are some fundamental definitions for this subject, but before we wrap up this second category, let me describe the general strategy for comprehending and refuting transgender theory. Transgender theory is based on two arches, as you can see. The gender identity is the second pillar after the sexual spectrum. Transgender theory may be disproved if one or both of these pillars can be refuted. It turns out that both Scripture and science contradict both of these tenets, and I’ll go into more detail about this in categories two and three. I’ll talk about preferred pronouns in category four and offer a strategy to help you steer the conversation about it. Finally, in category five, I’ll give you some useful advice on how to manage your interactions with trans friends and family. But then, in the following lesson, we’ll examine how Biblical refutes these two trans theory tenets.
