To the Editor:
Transgender people are scapegoats who are seen as un-Christian. There are three false prongs motivating this mistake. First, such attacks are reactionary. Persons deviating from tradition are automatic outcasts. Transgender persons are especially perceived as unnatural, out of order with God’s plan.
Coupled with the strong Christian belief in family is the second disastrous misrepresentation. Transgender people are erroneously viewed as a looming destroyer of the family unit.
For example, one of the most vicious rumors is that transgender people will declare themselves transgender in order to use a restroom of the opposite sex and behave in a deviant manner. As a result, good people, thinking the former, are duty bound to marshal the forces at hand and wage battle.
A third aspect of injustice stems from some Christians separating science from God’s revelations in the Bible. As Christians we must accept God as Creator of all, including science. Therefore, we should accept that natural, randomly occurring differences happen among all offspring. Variants are hard-wired during pregnancy. Some may be recognizable physically, while other alterations could be subtle contrasts in brain functions. All persons are supposed to be recognized as God’s creation.
In conclusion, people are not flocking to change gender. This is a rare occurrence of 0.3 percent. The situation of someone mentally needing to complete some form of transformation to achieve his or her gender identity is a daunting task. To launch hostile attacks against transgender persons is not Christian. Such charges are hurtful. Statistics reveal that such actions cause social stress and behavioral isolation. Thus, 40 percent of transgender persons are likely to make a suicide attempt and correspondingly a higher rate of mental illness occurs in these individuals. As Christians, we should be welcoming of all people.
John Clayton
Grinnell
