Flaws with Transgender Theory: A False Assumption
Addressing Transgenderism with Truth, Love, & Grace- Part 3
Introduction
Transgenderism is a significant cultural issue in Western societies. Transgenderism is also an issue that Christians cannot afford to ignore. I have been writing a series of articles to address the topic of Transgenderism and Gender Identity. In this article, I will explore another flaw with Transgender theory. This flaw is detrimental, and I believe it undermines the entirety of modern gender identity theory and transgenderism.
I will argue that transgender theory’s assumption that biological sex is independent of gender identity is illogical, unscientific, and unbiblical. The conclusion is that the entirety of modern gender theory, which attempts to validate transgenderism, is based on a false idea about sex and gender.
I hope this information helps equip you to guard your mind and help those who are caught up in the transgender trap to see reason and truth. I hope you will also see that transgenderism is a fundamentally flawed theory that we do not need to accept.
Sex Verses Gender
There is one foundational assumption that modern transgender theory asserts for transgender theory to work. It is the assumption that a person’s biological sex is independent of a person’s gender. Transgender theory depends upon the fact that we accept that there is a fundamental difference between sex and gender. Transgender theory falls on its face and cannot operate if it can be shown that sex and gender are inseparably linked together and not independent realities.
The terms sex and gender used to be synonyms for the same idea. When a baby was born, one could say its sex was male or female, or its gender was male or female. Most of us who are Millennial generation and older are used to the idea that when we talk about someone’s sex and gender, we are talking about the same concept. This is no longer the case in the present day.
Psychiatrists and psychologists have proposed that a person’s sex is fundamentally different from a person’s gender. Sex and gender are no longer synonyms. The American Psychological Association (APA) says sex is “the physical and biological traits, whereas gender refers especially to social or cultural traits, although the distinction between the two terms is not regularly observed.”[1] Interestingly, they admit the distinction between sex and gender is not regularly observed.
The APA’s definition of gender gives a fuller explanation of how they view the difference between sex and gender. It is worth quoting in full. Gender is “the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for different genders. In a human context, the distinction between gender and sex reflects the usage of these terms: Sex refers to the biological status of being male, female, or intersex, whereas gender implies the psychological, behavioral, social, and cultural aspects of gender (i.e., masculinity, femininity, nonbinary, nonconforming, or other gender).”[2]
Psychiatrists now believe that sex is a person’s biological status as either a male or female. Sex also refers to the male or female reproductive organs. On the other hand, they believe that gender is a different concept altogether. Gender is a person’s psychological, behavioral, and social status as either man or woman, masculine or feminine. Modern gender theory argues that sex is biological, but gender is psychological.
Now consider the formal definition of transgenderism (transgender) according to the APA. Transgender is “an umbrella term used to describe the full range of people whose gender identity and/or gender role do not conform to what is typically associated with their sex assigned at birth.”[3] This definition of transgender depends upon the fact that we agree with the APA that sex and gender are separate, independent realities. Notice these key phrases in the definition. Transgenderism is when a person’s gender identity does not conform to their sex assigned at birth. We could spend another article just looking at the phrase that sex is “assigned at birth,” but we will not do that. The APA believes a person’s sex as male or female is “assigned at birth,” but that does not determine whether they are a man or woman, boy or girl.
I cannot overemphasize how transgender theory makes a significant assumption that the so-called experts do not want us to question. We are expected to accept as fact that it is logically, scientifically, and psychologically permissible for a person’s birth sex to not match up with their gender identity. Modern gender theory has driven a wedge between the ideas of sex and gender. Transgender advocates have based their entire claim on the assumption that sex and gender are separate realities.
This is how transgender advocates assert that a person can be born male but may not identify as a man or born female but not identify as a woman. The only way this works for them is if they can validate that birth sex is a separate reality from gender. Thus, they argue that birth sex does not determine an individual’s gender identity and expression. They will say that a male does not have to be a boy or a man. Nor does a female have to be a girl or a woman.
Sex & Gender are Inseparably Linked
Now, we consider whether modern gender theory’s claim about sex and gender is correct. Does it make sense that birth sex can be a separate concept completely independent from gender? Should we adopt modern gender theory’s claim that birth sex does not necessarily determine gender? My answer is no.
As a Christian ethicist, I form my ethical conclusions based on the principles of the Bible. I will explain how the Bible shows us that birth sex and gender are not separate concepts. Instead, birth sex and gender are inseparably linked. They are near-synonyms for the same reality. God’s design is that gender identity must conform to a person’s birth sex. God’s plan for people is that they fulfill their roles as men, women, boys, and girls based on their birth sex. God designed that birth sex determines gender identity and expression. Thus, birth sex and gender identity are not independent realities in God’s mind.
God Created Male and Female
The Bible makes a strong case that God intends for birth sex to determine gender identity and expression. On the sixth day of creation, God made man and woman. We read in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”[4] The Hebrew word for male here is zā·ḵār, and the Hebrew word for female is neqē·ḇāh. These function as adjectives modifying the noun “man” or mankind (ʾāḏām). These words refer to the physical differences that describe a person as male or female. You can think of these words as explaining the differences in biological sex and the differences in physical reproductive organs.
At the start of the Bible, we already see God’s design is that humanity is created having only one of two biological sexes, male or female. Thus, God has codified within nature that humans are biologically gendered creatures. This means that having a gender (either male or female) is an intrinsic property of being human and part of bearing God’s image. I should also point out that Jesus affirmed the Genesis account and taught that God made only two biological sexes, male and female (see Mark 10:6).
The Genesis words male and female as seen in Genesis 1:27, would fall into the secular modern category of sex, not gender. Remember, the modern theory is that sex is biological while gender is psychological. At this point, a modern gender theorist who is open to the Bible might even agree with me. However, the key difference will be that they believe that while God may have created male and female, these only describe biological birth sex and say nothing about gender identity. They would say that Genesis 1:27 is not speaking about gender; it is solely referring to birth sex.
When we consider more of the Bible’s teachings on this issue, we find a more apparent case that God does not intend for sex to be separate from gender. Genesis 1:28 explains God gave the man and woman a mandate to have babies. God wants them to procreate and fill the earth with more image-bearers of God. This shows us God’s design for human reproduction is that it requires one male and one female to have offspring. Therefore, having a birth gender is part of God’s plan for humanity to fill the earth. This determines whether humans can mate with each other or not. For example, a male cannot mate with another male, nor a female with another female. It requires a male with a female. This gives us another clue as to God’s plans for gender. God designed that biological sex determine who can procreate with whom. This adds to our case that God’s plan is a person’s birth sex determines their gender identity.
God Hates Lying about One’s Gender
The Bible never uses the term gender identity or expression; however, it does speak to the concept of expressing one’s gender. The Bible is clear that God expects a person’s gender expression to line up with their birth sex. Or, to say it the opposite way, God expects a person’s birth sex to determine their gender identity and expression directly. Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about how a person should express their birth sex.
Deuteronomy 22:5 says, “A woman shall not wear a man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.” God banned cross-dressing in Old Testament Israel. Why does God care about the clothes people wear? This law is not an issue of clothes. There is a moral issue God is concerned about. The proof that this is a moral issue is the word abomination (tô·ʿē·ḇāh). This word means something detestable, loathsome, and abhorrent to God. God was essentially saying He cannot put up with in any manner that a person cross-dresses because it’s a wicked violation of His moral law.
The moral issues God has with cross-dressing are lying and presenting oneself to others as something other than one’s birth sex. For a male to cross-dress as a female and present themselves to others in this manner is an immoral act of lying on the one hand. On the other hand, it is an immoral betrayal of the person’s real birth sex. Deuteronomy 22:5 teaches that God hates when a person expresses themselves as a different birth sex other than the one they are. This proves that God most certainly cares about gender expression.
God expects that a person’s gender expression conforms to their birth sex. God does not permit a person to portray themselves as anything other than their birth sex. To explain this a bit further, God expects a person’s birth sex (male/female) to directly determine their gender identity and expression (man/woman; masculine/feminine). God expects a male to express masculinity and be a boy who becomes a man. Likewise, God expects a female to express femininity and be a girl who becomes a woman.
Skeptics often argue that gender is a socially made idea. For example, what is considered masculine and feminine clothing in America will not be the same as in Nigeria. Critics use simplistic examples like these to argue since gender is based on societal norms, gender can be whatever a person perceives it to be for themselves they argue. However, this logic does not follow. Just because clothing, family, and social customs vary across societies for men and women does not prove gender is a made-up social construction. All it means is that customs for men and women vary across cultures, but each culture clearly understands what it means to be a man or a woman in their society.
Gender Roles are Based on Birth Sex
We see this principle that birth sex determines gender identity in the New Testament as well. Paul and Peter discuss differences in roles within a family. In Ephesians 5:21-33, Colossians 3:18-21, and 1 Peter 3:1-7 we read that God has obligations for husbands and fathers as well as wives and mothers to carry out in their families. Since God expects men and women to play different roles within families, God believes a person’s birth sex directly determines the role they play in society and families. For example, God has expectations of the father and husband within a family, but who can fulfill the role of a father and husband? Only the male can. Likewise, who can fill the role of a mother and wife? Only the female can. When the Bible references gender roles, they are inseparably linked to the person’s birth sex to the degree that gender expression and identity must conform to birth sex.
Conclusion
Factoring in these Old and New Testament scriptures, we have a solid case to claim that God views biological sex and psychological gender identity as inseparably linked. We can rightly say that sex and gender are not two separate realities independent from one another in God’s created order. Biological sex directly determines psychological gender identity and social gender expression. If there is any difference in sex and gender, it is only in terminology that describes nuances of the same reality.
Think of sex and gender as two sides of the same quarter. A quarter has heads on one side and tails on the other. The heads and tails are not two separate realities. Both are required to have the quarter, and both are inseparably linked. This is how we can view sex and gender. There may be nuances in what each word describes, but this does not make them two independent realities that can diverge. One informs the other, and it is biological birth sex that determines gender identity and expression.
Time fails me in this article to explore the scientific data that speaks against separating sex and gender. Suffice it for now that I mention findings by researchers studying sex and gender differences in brain psychopathologies.[5] These researchers assert that while some claim gender is socially defined behavior, research shows that gender is inherent to children who might realize their gender between 3-5 years old. These researchers furthermore acknowledge it makes more sense to speak of sex and gender as interchangeable since children innately discern their gender early on. We also use these terms interchangeably in everyday life and much scientific publishing.
The Bible’s teaching about sex and gender is that they are not independent realities. Biological sex directly determines the gender God wants a person to express. In God’s mind, there is no fundamental distinction between sex and gender. While we may use the two terms to describe different nuances, they both refer to the same reality. A person’s gender is simply the social, emotional, and spiritual expression of their birth sex. These facts throw transgender theory on its face. Transgender theory cannot be true since sex and gender cannot be two independent realities.
[1] https://dictionary.apa.org/sex
[2] https://dictionary.apa.org/gender
[3] https://dictionary.apa.org/transgender
[4] Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible, 2020 edition.
[5] Zelco, Aura, Pattama Wapeesittipan, and Anagha Joshi. 2023. “Insights into Sex and Gender Differences in Brain and Psychopathologies Using Big Data.” Life (2075-1729) 13 (8): 1676, 2.