It’s time for the next chapter of presenting God’s ideal society. Last time on this Cultural Blueprint series, the topic was centered on God’s truth and having unity in Christ. I made the argument that the idea of speaking the truth did not just come into existence on its own, but that there had to be a Higher authority for such a concept, given that humans have to be taught not to lie. If Christians can, at a minimum, agree that Christ is the uniting source of truth, everything else will fall into place as God wills it. And the purpose of this series is to return back to the basics of these truths upon which humanity once universally agreed. Today’s truth is where the book of Genesis comes into play: there are two genders.
I have not spoken about this issue in detail before. In fact, minus the Taboo Topic podcast, anything LGBTQIA+ has been largely avoided on Substack. In the summer of 2021, I wrote a blog titled, “Christianity and Pride Month,” in which my position admittedly came from a more defensive lens. There was a certain level of fear of being franker about the issue at hand and presenting the Bible as-is. This is the trap many Christians, conservatives included, fall into. It has become common for a Christian to start on the subject of anything LGBTQIA+ apologetically before calling out the sin, and even when the sin does get called out, there is still a hesitation to present God’s truth about their beliefs. However, if one is to be unashamed of the gospel, then we must not only believe in God’s power to change minds and the condition of hearts through the life and resurrection of Christ on the topic of salvation, but also to completely transform people in every aspect of their lives. The Christian attitude towards anything to do with LGBTQIA+ needs to be applied now more than ever. There is no grace if the truth is not presented, and this includes the truth that only *two* genders exist.
This may seem like beating a dead horse at this point in conservative circles, but evil only wins when good people do nothing. Therefore, if the idea of more than two genders is being pushed to be accepted as true and morally good by one community, then it is imperative that we put just as much energy into pushing back. Complacency is why this debate exists at all. But how does this ideology work? Matt Walsh from The Daily Wire did a documentary called “What is a Woman?” in which the forsaking of God’s truth and design on the creation of man and woman, and idea of gender being a social construct, was thoroughly explained. This ideology has produced terms that did not exist before in my own lifetime, like “cisgender,” along with a plethora of other so-called genders. So, what does it mean for gender to be a social construct?
According to Psychology Today, when someone says gender is a social construct, they are implying that there is a difference between sex and gender—that sex is purely biological, whereas gender is “a product of society. If society determines what is masculine or feminine, then society can change what is considered masculine, feminine, or anything in between.” This is where the idea of someone being “gender-fluid” comes from. Nothing is fixed; there is no objective standard of truth that determines someone’s gender. It is purely relative, and therefore there are no limits on how many genders can exist in this satanic ideology.
What is ironic about this idea is that, if gender is a social construct, then nobody can truly determine what defines a man or a woman. They will claim that gender is fluid, yet also claim with utmost certainty that the gender they identify with is absolute. They will wage war for the acceptance of a social construct as being absolute truth, when the concept itself is relative by its own nature. Granted, there is a difference between the terms “sex” and “gender;” however, my education taught me that the terms were synonymous, and that the environment one was in would determine when to use them (i.e., “sex” was more of a scientific and medical term, whereas “gender” was used more outside those circles). It was never suggested that there was a literal difference between the two, yet here we are. What is the alternative then? What is *the* truth? What does God’s Word say?
I will be speaking from the perspective of the Christian religion, to see that God purposefully designed a man and a woman to exist. However, there is commonality with the Jewish and Islam religion that teaches two genders were created with a designed purpose as well. Directly from the book of Genesis: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (1:27).
In the texts following this verse, God proceeded to command both the man and woman to produce children. God created the body of the man to be different from the woman—it is not a coincidence that a man cannot have periods, bear children, or even feed his children with his chest. Only a woman has the capacity to have periods, bear her children for nine months and have the hips to push them out, and feed them with her breasts. But a man has the natural physical gift to be a protector because of his strength; he can conquer cities, and he can produce sperm that carry the potential to bring a new human into this earth. The only generalization here is physical strength, as I would not attempt to fight a female athlete at any competitive physical challenge; however, if she were put against an athletic male in their sport, the male would dominate. There are also psychological differences between men and women: women tend to be more nurturing and feelings-based, while men tend to more assertive and practicality-based. This is not to say people can’t possess more of the temperament typical of the opposite sex, but in general these reign true to God’s design of each gender. How detailed of God!
There is no real debate as to whether there are more than two genders. There is no debating whether someone can be born into the “wrong body.” Gender is not fluid. There is no such thing as “cisgender.” God settled that debate with His mouth. He used science—biology—to make a clear distinction between the two genders. Therefore, anyone who claims to have this belief of being born into the wrong body has been lied to by the healthcare industry, their parents, and society. They need help—gender dysphoria is a real mental health disorder. There is no affirming of their beliefs that needs to take place; only of the truth that there is no such thing as being born in the wrong body. The church needs to speak boldly in defense of God’s design, reminding people in that community that everyone is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14); that there are no accidents with God, and that is a fact out of their control.
Nobody affirms someone who is struggling with anorexia by telling them that they are indeed “trans-obese.” People would be horrified if that happened, yet we do this for another group of people. It follows the same principle of seeing something different in the mirror than what reality presents, yet we’d think that affirming anorexia was abusive. If you agree, and are silent about people dealing with gender dysphoria, why is that? Do you think that affirming someone with anorexia would be abusive, yet affirming someone in destroying their biology is not? Not surprisingly, transitioning further damages their mental health as well. All of this to ask: why are you not appalled if those positions apply to you? This is not to be accusatory if you cannot answer these questions—they only serve to provoke thought. One can be graceful and compassionate if it is in accordance with the truth. There is no compassion nor grace if truth is abandoned. One cannot fix insanity with more insanity. What should you do then? What is the blueprint and alternative approach to communicating with and helping someone struggling with gender dysphoria, especially from a Christian perspective?
The most important step one can do: speak the truth. No, people do not have to be biologists, nor mental health experts to understand there are only two genders, created to be different from one another. Ask them questions, as to why they feel this way. Is there something deeper happening inside of them? There is an emphasis in the Bible to be slow to speak, and quick to listen for a reason. Obviously, this is just my perspective and coming from a non-professional position, yet it does not take an expert to understand the truth. It does not take an expert to listen and sympathize (possibly empathize) with the person. Then, when the time comes, that’s when the grace and compassion comes into play. We never lose sight of the truth when it is time to speak, because the moment we do, it is no longer compassionate nor graceful. It is no longer love. If further emotional boundaries are needed after listening, it is okay to recommend them to seek help from a real mental health professional. Granted, using discernment is critically important in their homework on who they recommend (especially for a Christian). That’s how we can also help, by pointing them in the right direction to actually heal whatever intrusive thoughts are going across their brain.
Imagine again, an individual struggling with anorexia—how would you approach that person? How would you want to be approached if *you* were the one struggling with anorexia? Which, again, it does not take an expert to treat people the way you want to be treated. Would you not want the person talking to you, to actually speak the truth to you, before you did something drastic that could have lasting and harmful effects on your physical body? Your mental health? Your soul?
I say this because most people in this community need to hear it. Most who believe this are genuine in their beliefs; they have been convinced that the only logical explanation of their thoughts is that their bodies are indeed mistakes. The antidote is the truth. Stay true to God’s Word. He won’t lead us astray. Even if you are not a Christian reading this, “follow the science.” The science aligns with what is taught in the Christian Bible. Therefore, reject the notion of being born in the wrong body. Everyone is fearfully and wonderfully made. Everyone was created with a purpose, including how men and women are different in their biology and roles. If holding these positions makes me transphobic or “deny their existence,” then I am a proud, transphobic denier.
Author’s Note: Anything underlined is a link for you to click on if desired. Readers are encouraged to educate themselves and seek other sources for information. Additionally, please share this with friends and family members, along with hitting the “Like” button to reach more people!