Dear Editor,
I am responding to “The Loving Response to Transgenderism,” a letter to the editor by Jennifer Otten.
There is more than one creation story in the Bible. In the first creation story, found in Genesis Chapter 1, the creation narrative describes God as creating humanity in the image of God, as male and female. Another creation story is found in Genesis Chapter 2, where God creates a woman out of Adam’s rib. In this narrative, God creates the first woman from a man. Humanity is given the role of being co-creators with God. As God created a woman out of a man, Trans people are able to ethically create a different biological sex, one that is true to their inner identity.
Biological sex is based on human anatomy and genetics. There are male shaped bodies, female shaped bodies and intersex shaped bodies. Biological sex a spectrum, because there is no set point where a male shaped body is instantly considered to be an intersex body. The bodies of all individuals, including intersex and Trans individuals, are the temple of God and remain the temples of God, even if those bodies are modified by hormonal therapy or surgery.
Gender is a more socially defined understanding of what it means to act and look like a male or a female. Currently, there is a tendency for Canadian society to accept only two genders and that does not acknowledge the legitimate complexity of biological sex and it causes stress for those who do not neatly fit into the traditional understanding of male or female. Our social understanding of gender needs to reflect the complexity of biological sex. We can support, and accept people who identify as gender fluid or as Trans.
I like to review the opinions of large groups of professionals, instead of citing just one person. By looking at the opinion of a large professional association, we can get a better sense of the understanding of a large body of professionals and we are less likely to be getting information that might be impacted by personal bias. The website for the American Psychological Association provides some important information regarding Trans people. The American Psychological Association website states that many Trans people do not experience significant or disabling distress and do not meet the criteria for having a mental disorder.
As a general rule, we do not consider a condition which can be treated medically thorough prescription drugs, through hormone therapy or through surgery to be a mental illness. Because hormonal treatment and surgery can reduce gender dysphoria and because gender dysphoria pathologizes Trans and non-gender conforming people, some people believe gender dysphoria should not be considered to be a mental disorder.
There are many factors that contribute to mental health. As a general rule, members of oppressed minority groups do not have mental health that is equal to members of majority groups. As we think about Trans people, we need to carefully consider the multiple levels of oppression experienced by Trans people and the impact of the oppression on the health and wellbeing of Trans people. And we need to take the painful steps of examining our own lives to ensure that we do not act in ways that cause additional pain to Trans people.
Gary Simpson
Edmonton
