Church's view on transponder individuals?

[djmauck]

Without going into too much detail, I know somebody who is a female but has decided she’s really a male and wants to go by a male name. No mention so far of surgery. I’ve done some research and found that while the Church doesn’t have an explicitly stated opinion on “changing gender” surgically, it can be inferred that it would be wrong. My feelings are, the Bible says “man and woman He created them,” and God didn’t make a mistake when He assigned people genders.

Like I said though, surgery isn’t really an issue in this case, it’s just a question of whether it would be wrong to follow her wishes and address her by her male name. If it is wrong, what would be the most charitable way to explain my position to her?

 

[Bezant]

Without going into too much detail, I know somebody who is a female but has decided she’s really a male and wants to go by a male name. No mention so far of surgery. I’ve done some research and found that while the Church doesn’t have an explicitly stated opinion on “changing gender” surgically, it can be inferred that it would be wrong. My feelings are, the Bible says “man and woman He created them,” and God didn’t make a mistake when He assigned people genders.

Like I said though, surgery isn’t really an issue in this case, it’s just a question of whether it would be wrong to follow her wishes and address her by her male name. If it is wrong, what would be the most charitable way to explain my position to her?

Hello DJ,

This is a good question. There are a few interesting threads on this topic if you do a quick forum search. From my understanding, the Church doesn’t seem to have gone into much detail about transgender issues. Keep an eye out for other posters who are more knowledgeable about the Church’s position.

I’m not sure what you would acheive by refusing to call your friend by his chosen name. It’s a good way to cause mutual resentment and not something I would recommend.

 

[TheDoors]

I think you mean “transgender”.

 

[LoyalViews]

The Church sees her as a female as that’s what she is and that’s what God created her to be.

 

[PJH_74]

For better or worse the Catholic Church does not recognise sex change surgery as actually changing one’s sex. The argument is something to the effect that surgery can’t change the DNA or give the people the ability to reproduce as the other sex. The other part is likely that such sugery changes what that person “was made”. I know your friend is not talking about surgery, but I thought I’d share what I know.

Ask anyone who experiences transgender feelings and you will likely find they explain gender as being on a spectrum for them. Your friend might simply feel more male than female. This idea is kind of foriegn to some people or not feel natural. But then again we have intersexed people (people born with genetalia somewhere in between), genetic males that develop naturally as women because they are insensitive to testosterone (Androgen insensitivity syndrome), Tomboys, not so macho men, and women who would die if they ever wore a dress / put on makeup. The point being that gender isn’t as black and white as we’d like to believe sometimes.

You may or may not fully accept, understand, or condone this person’s identity; but I guarantee this person is well aware of the criticisms out there regardless of what you say. In the end though it’s hard to go wrong just loving this person. Life is hard enough for someone in this person’s position, this person has to have a lot of guts and resolve about these feelings to make them public.

 

[djmauck]

And yes, that was a typo - of course I meant “transgender.”

 

[thistle]

Without going into too much detail, I know somebody who is a female but has decided she’s really a male and wants to go by a male name. No mention so far of surgery. I’ve done some research and found that while the Church doesn’t have an explicitly stated opinion on “changing gender” surgically, it can be inferred that it would be wrong. My feelings are, the Bible says “man and woman He created them,” and God didn’t make a mistake when He assigned people genders.

Like I said though, surgery isn’t really an issue in this case, it’s just a question of whether it would be wrong to follow her wishes and address her by her male name. If it is wrong, what would be the most charitable way to explain my position to her?

The Church does have a view on this and “gender changing” is a sin of grave matter.

religioustolerance.org/transsexu15.htm

 

[LeafByNiggle]

Without going into too much detail, I know somebody who is a female but has decided she’s really a male and wants to go by a male name.

She is still female. But the name she goes by is up to her. There is nothing intrinsically gendered about a name, although it may be conventionally associated with one gender or the other. Some names are both. Calling her by her “male” name is not the same thing as approving of her incorrect assessment of her gender.