Transitioning

By Jim Josephsen

Transitioning, or in its shortened form Trans, describes the process of changing one’s gender assignment (one’s sex at birth) to agree with one’s gender identity (gender expression). This process is the experience of transgender individuals. Thanks to the likes of Bruce Jenner (now called by his new name, which reflects his new gender identity – Caitlyn) or transgender actor Laverne Cox of the television show “Orange is the New Black” or as glamorized in the recent television program “Transparent,” the Transition movement of late, is gaining greater awareness and heightened exposure. Currently, 18 states within the United States have legislation and school districts along with college campuses across the United States have taken the appropriate action to protect and accommodate the transgender population.

Adding to this exposure was the comment made by President Obama in his 2015 State of the Union address. “As Americans, we respect human dignity … That’s why we defend free speech and advocate for political prisoners and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.”

As never before, there is now a greater acceptance of transgenders (the T in LGBT). Trans, is the new underdog. Mara Keisling, executive director of the “National Center for Transgender Equality” commented on Obama’s speech: “It wasn’t a transgender speech at all – but just inserting the words LGBT the way he did … he’s bringing us into that dream, that promise,” (their dream of an America, which promotes and protects the rights of the LGBT community).

Many people, perhaps millions (perhaps even the silent majority) throughout the country are just getting over the slap in the face of same-sex marriage; now legal, protected by the supreme law of the land and consecrated by SCOTUS. Now seemingly with no time to catch one’s breath, the Trans movement is progressing full speed ahead.

Of course, it is not as though transgender individuals never existed before the 21st century. History reveals that during the American Civil War (1861–1865) some 240 women (born female, their assigned, visible birth gender) were known to have put on traditional men’s clothing and fought as soldiers – under the guise of being men. Did this action evidence that these women were transgender or were they simply patriotic citizens who desired to step out of their assigned female roles at that time? Not much unlike today, in most nations’ armed forces, women are conscripted or voluntarily enlist to serve. Examples of Israel, the United States, Germany or China come to mind.

In 1895, a group of self-described androgynist in New York organized a club called the “Cercle Hermaphroditos,” based on their wish “to unite for defense against the world’s bitter persecution.”

Recent interviews with transgender elderly have revealed what it was like for them in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Those uncomfortable with or disliking their birth gender assignment, hid in the shadows, trying to conform to the norms while in public, yet in private, living their gender expression. In essence living a dissimulated double life. Back then, just as today, the incidents of suicide and drug and alcohol abuse were disproportionally higher among transgenders than among the general public.

The word transgender was first publicized in 1965 as a hybrid word derived from trans+gender. In the early to mid-1970s, the term transgender gained traction but more in relationship to cross-dressers or cross-gender individuals not having sex reassignment surgery. In 1979, Christine Jorgensen, who in 1952 went to Denmark for ‘gender reassignment surgery,’ identified herself as trans-gender, clarifying that gender has to do with self-expression and psychological identity, not with birth gender assignment.

In 1976, little publicized, Phillip Frye no longer suppressed his gender identity. With that decision, he was forced to resign from the military for “sexual deviation.” He was eventually disavowed by his parents, divorced by his first wife, separated from his son. As a born-again Christian, Army Lieutenant, husband and father, Phillip became Phyllis. His transition was neither pleasing nor accepted back then. Frye, who started his transgender journey four decades before highly publicized Bruce Jenner, eventually became the country’s first openly transgender judge appointed in Texas.

Thousands of other trans-genders lived in the shadows back then. Now, no longer afraid to hide, conservative estimates put the transgender population in America currently at 700,000 adults.

In 1984, the “transgender community” became vogue as the march for full recognition, acceptance and political protection gained momentum. By 1992 transgender was a coverall or “umbrella” term for transsexuals, transgenderists, cross-dressers and anyone transitioning.

To date, 18 states have clear laws that protect transgender people, from bathroom designation to ensuring employers cannot terminate the employment of an individual based on his or her transgender or sexual expressions.

Recently, Bill Maher, an American comedian, writer, political commentator, media critic, and television host, made light of the emergence of transgender youths by commenting, “gay is the new straight … gay is so simple now.”

There is an irony in his comment. Truth is a gay person, whether male or female, is obvious. Man is attracted to man and woman is attracted to woman. Their birth gender (as defined – their physical equipment) does not change. However, for a transgender, the changes are demonstrative, psychologically and physically.

Psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, academicians, medical staffs, the World Health Organization and the scientific community all now concur that being transgender is not a mental illness. Once considered “gender identity disorder” it’s now referred to as “gender dysphoria,” and is “the distress that may accompany the incongruence between one’s experienced or expressed gender and one’s assigned gender.” Psychologists conclude gender identity transitioning is not the problem, it’s the distress caused by not being able to do anything about it.

Not to be mistaken as solely an America phenomenon, every country has transgenders among its populace. Some countries, societies and religious practices punish or even put to death those considered within LGBT. However, not in democratic countries like the United States. Today, general statistics reveal MTF (male to female transgenders, a.k.a. transwomen) on average outnumber FTM (female to male transgenders, a.k.a. transmen) by a ratio of 3 to 1. Some studies indicate higher ratios while others seem to indicate that FTM are closing in on MTF.

As never before, transgender behavior and expression, be it incongruities and uncertainty or clear, unobstructed acceptance and practice is becoming more prominent among the youth. And by youth, the age is as young as 5, 6, 7. The conversations, texts, blogs, posts, web sites, columns, social agencies, human rights campaigns, centers and support groups are voluminous, spanning the width and breadth of cities and rural areas across the United States and many European countries. The number of empowerment and support resources now championing the transgender movement for youth is staggering.

You cannot ignore it; you cannot defeat it, if that was your intention. The Trans movement is alive and growing. Parents are encouraged to support their transgender children, and not to interfere with their child’s freedom to choose their gender identity or expression even if it runs contrary to their gender birth assignment.

Many school districts across the country are becoming ideological war zones in the mêlée over transgender rights. For example, a boy dresses as a girl and wants to go in the girls’ bathroom. However, his anatomy reveals she is a he. Confusion arises and most likely girls scream, “Get out.” Of course. That’s only logical and natural. But that’s discrimination. Johnny, who wants to be Jane, cries foul and the courts or the school board steps in. Rather than hurting the child’s feelings, why not just construct a transgender bathroom and everyone will be the better for it. That answer is the reality in the adult world too. More transgender bathrooms are popping up, especially on campuses, because in America, transgender people have the same rights and protections as other Americans.

Psychiatrists, psychologists, academicians, medical pro-fessionals, human rights groups, empowerment and support resources, liberal, liberated parents and grandparents are not shy to encourage the impressionable, developing, young little minds of boys and girls, as well as teenagers and adults to pursue their desired gender identity. Morals, tradition, religious values are no longer adhered to or tolerated. Follow your heart in spite of your gender assignment, is the new mantra. Transition if you feel you must.

How often these days do parents, misguided in their parental duties, deceived by social pressures, preoccupied with their careers, iPads and tablets, social media pursuits, blogs and tweets, cause greater anguish for their children by ignoring their children’s cries for help and ignorantly encourage them to pursue gender transition behavior.

There is a spectrum of gender expressions that can be measured and gauged, exhibited and utilized by both male and female. At times men will exhibit a softer, more sensitive, compassionate side. At times women can express inflexible tenacity, headstrong boldness. These expressions are by no means restricted to just one or the other gender exclusively. For a man to exhibit what is normally considered a female trait does not cause that man to lose his male gender assignment. For a woman to exhibit what is considered a male trait does not cause that woman to automatically desire to abandon her female gender features.

There is an obvious male-female (gender binary) reality in the world and it has been that way since creation. Oh no, don’t say it. Creation – meaning God. Do not even dare put God in the equation these days. Although some transgenders have commented words to the effect, “God put me in the wrong body at birth.”

If you introduce God in the discussion, most likely you will be labeled ignorant, a bigot. You may even be guilty of instigating hate, and that is a crime. Certainly, God cannot be considered in the conversation. Trans is all too pervasive, all too encouraged and all too socially accepted a behavior now to correct or renounce. The transgender arguments and “studies” presented by the various branches of science today reinforce humanism and self-expression and promotes gender self-determination. Science seems more believable than the words God has spoken to His creation.

God created male and female, both in His image; yet each gender unique and distinct from the other, each with a functional design and purpose exclusive to each. Creating binary gender attributes, identities and expressions, both distinct yet complementing the other, God said it was very good. To sustain what He created and maintain a healthy, wholesome, honorable and right life style, distinct to each gender, God issued life preserving commands (laws), which when disobeyed will naturally cause misery, suffering, mental anguish and eventual death.

God said, “A woman must not wear men’s clothing nor a man wear woman’s clothing” (cf. Deuteronomy 22:5 NIV). By stating this, God was not advocating that women must not wear Levis or pant suits and men must not wear kilts. God’s mind is much more logical and His purpose more rational than that.

At the time God gave this law to the children of Israel, both men and women dressed with distinctive yet similar robes, skirts and coverings. Clothing, per se, was not the issue. The purpose of this law, which is universal, comprehensive, crossing cultural bounds, was to protect, preserve and maintain the dignity and uniqueness of one’s gender assignment (one’s sex at birth). It was a law prohibiting transvestism and trans-sexual, transgender behaviors, tendencies or practices, which are immoral behaviors, anomalous to what God created.

God’s desire is to make sure the distinction between male and female, the two genders He created, should be maintained. This law, like all of God’s laws, statutes and judgments are still extant and in force today. To break this law will cause mental anguish, individual emptiness, societal confusion and ineptitude, and ultimately the demise of a nation.

Sexual variants, gender aberrations, transgenderism, like every other sexual perversion, infidelities, adultery and immoralities, is a sin which results in broken hearts, broken lives, angst, misery, hurt, pain, emptiness, corruption, and often disease, sickness and eventually death.

When it is all said and done, whether in ignorance or by free moral choice, sin is the result and lives are ruined. Transgenderism, transitioning is no exception. When cataloguing some of the behaviors which corrupted and diseased the ancient Greek city of Corinth, the Apostle Paul listed among those sins the following: “fornicators, idol-worshippers, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with those of the same sex, thieves, drunkards, and extortionists.” Paul explained that those individuals who practice such behavior would have no place in the eternity (the Kingdom of God), which God is preparing for His creation.

The Apostle Paul, however, was encouraged by the fact that some of the very members of God’s church, to whom he was writing then and there, who once practiced these types of destructive and heinous behaviors had repented and were baptized, being forgiven and made right in the sight of God. These sinners, now in God’s church no longer committed these grievous and horrible sins. They no longer practiced their lusts and desires, their self-willed perversions and sin-generating dysphorias. They repented. They were then made right in God’s sight. They became healthy in God’s sight and in the sight of Jesus Christ.

The Trans explosion will not end any time soon. However, it will end at the time of God’s choosing and at the time of Christ’s return. For now, Jesus Christ is offering to those who choose to listen, the opportunity to repent and be forgiven, to be healed mentally, spiritually and emotionally of this dreadful scourge which destroys the hearts and minds of those confused about their sexuality.

Jesus Christ made it clear, “it is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinner to repentance.”

In the life of those transitioning, each person has a story to tell. Those who are courageous enough to do so can allow God to help them close that chapter of their book. Transitioning individuals can repent of this aberrant way of life, which is foreign to creation and foreign to what God said is “very good.” Transitioning individuals, held captive to gender identity disorder, can be freed from the mental torment and the physical maladies that naturally follow. One who is transitioning can stop that type of existence and begin living a God-defined, God-ordained, honorable, healthy life. It may not be easy at first, but it is possible. If you are burdened by the sin of transitioning, may you have the courage to repent and be baptized, asking Jesus Christ to forgive you and heal you.