David Pool

Is it possible to be born in the wrong body? Should we teach children that they may have been born in the wrong body? Admittedly, the questions are incoherent, and it is hard to believe that this topic is so deadly serious in the public conversation today. 

A few decades ago, the idea that someone could have the wrong body would have been unthinkable. But today, anyone who questions the premise is quickly ushered to the door or asked if they have lost their mind.

First, I want to say that this article is not about deriding people who believe that gender exists on a spectrum. Furthermore, gender dysphoria is a real thing and deserves to be treated with love and compassion. Nonetheless, it’s essential to discuss these ideas because not all ideas are good or healthy. Some lead to untold suffering and are highly destructive to human life. This is one of those ideas.

We should affirm at the beginning that the Bible is clear on the subject of gender and sex. In Genesis 1:27 we read, “So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.” This idea is reinforced by Jesus in Matthew 19:4, “‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that he who created them in the beginning made them male and female.’” If God is the author of life, then it is evident that from the beginning he created two biological sexes, both in his image. This is his design.

The transgender movement does not accept this premise but maintains that biological sex does not necessarily accord with gender. Gender, according to this way of thinking, is chosen by the person, and it exists along a continuum with male and female being the two extremes. 

At a conference this past weekend in Billings, Dr. Jay Richards of The Heritage Foundation, said that in many schools around the country, transgender teaching is woven into everyday lessons rather than being a single unit study in a health class. Some elementary schools make use of “Drag Queen Story Hour” where books are read to kindergartners by people dressed in drag with the intention of breaking down gender categories in the minds of children. Some elementary school libraries contain books with overt transgender ideas targeted for the kindergarten level. Another educational aid used in some schools is “The Gender Unicorn” infographic that teaches that gender is purely subjective.

Transgender ideology is on the rise and receives lavish press, but the central targets are young people and children. It is obvious why it spreads among this vulnerable age group. One study revealed that when one teen comes out as transgender to his or her peer group, the number of friends who followed was 3.5 per group. In the United Kingdom, the number of children seeking treatment for gender identity confusion has increased 2,000% since 2015. This kind of increase has given rise to the term “rapid onset gender dysphoria,” describing people who previously were comfortable with their biological sex and gender for years and then suddenly decide they want to change. This supports the conclusion that the transgender wave likely originates from social influences rather than an inherent gender dysphoria in young people.

It’s not that some children don’t truly experience an unease with their bodies at some point in their development. That is a fairly normal part of growing up. However, 61% - 98% of these young people come to accept their sex by adulthood without “gender affirming care”. This high percentage that self-resolves makes the jump to puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone therapy seem extreme. The long-term effects of puberty blockers have not been studied, but there are strong indications of negative side effects later in life. It is interesting to note that while gender transition therapies began in the U.K., Sweden, and Finland, all of those countries have since reversed course. 

However, much of the rationale for “gender affirming therapy” is the low mental health among people who question their gender identity. The thought is if they can transition to the gender of their choice, then they are more likely to be mentally healthy, have lower rates of depression and anxiety, and be happier. But research points in another direction. A Swedish study showed that after sex reassignment surgery, transgender people are nearly 20 times more likely to die from suicide than the general population. That is a tragedy. Perhaps that is why there is a growing number of people de-transitioning, people whose stories are heartbreaking, people whose stories are often suppressed in the media.

So much more could be said, but we can’t afford to be silent on the subject any longer. We must speak to these realities in order to protect people’s lives, to protect our children, and to ensure a healthier society. Living within God’s design and embracing his word leads to human flourishing. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and may have it abundantly.” Let’s look to his counsel and follow him wholeheartedly.

(David Pool is the senior pastor at Grace Point in Powell)