When Harry Became Sally
Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner announced in 2015 that he was now Caitlyn Jenner and since that time has been perhaps the most famous transgender person in the world. The sensational announcement from the iconic American set off a firestorm of discussion and debate following predictable lines, with progressives arguing that gender is simply a social construct and traditionals maintaining gender is unavoidably rooted in biology.
The transgender movement is only growing and what grieves me most is its increasing impact on children. NBC’s Megyn Kelly recently hosted a show featuring testimonies from kids taking part in the GenderCool Project, a national campaign aimed at showcasing stories of what transgender kids are, as well as what they’re not. I listened as each one shared a similar story: early signs of transgender identification, a variety of parental responses, increasing transgender identification, eventual embrace of the child’s trans identity.
Every story was compelling. You felt for the kids as they described their struggle. And as a father of three, I certainly sympathized with the parents as they described the challenge of helping their child face the difficulty. There was a palpable sense of relief when the parents described how they came to embrace their child’s true gender and great show support from Ms. Kelly and the cheering audience.
However, one question I never heard addressed is, “How do we know this is the correct path?” The entire show was based on the conviction that true gender is based on one’s feelings and it was clear that foundational question was not up for debate. No surprise, of course, because television shows follow a carefully planned script, appropriately so. Conversations with friends and chance acquaintances, on the other hand, are not scripted. Here is a much more important question: Are you ready to have a redemptive conversation about transgenderism when it spontaneously comes up? I am not asking if you have already formed an opinion. I am asking if you have taken time to gain a biblical perspective and Christ-like heart for the people involved. Today’s Breakpoint article, When Harry Become Sally, features a book that to me looks promising to this end. I hope to prepare my mind and heart before the unplanned conversation pops up. I hope you will too.
http://www.breakpoint.org/2018/03/breakpoint-when-harry-became-sally/
Pastor Toby
Categories: Evergreen Connection