On Wednesday Night, July 17th, we have been asked to discuss how Christians should minister to people who are struggling with Gender Dysphoria. According to wikipedia, gender dysphoria is “the distress a person feels due to their birth-assigned sex and gender not matching their gender identity.” In recent years, this gender dysphoria has become a very complex issue.

In earlier times, it seemed so simple. Genesis 1:27 says “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” So, According to the Bible, there are 2 genders, male and female. But I read an article from “The Federalist Papers” (May 2016) where New York City’s Commission on Human Rights lists 31 different genders. NYC is so serious about these genders that they are prepared to charge large fines if you use the wrong pronoun toward someone with malice. Another article from “The Daily Beast” (April 2017) says Facebook offers 51 gender options.

So, what is a Christian supposed to do? The Bible seems to make the gender issue very simple. But our culture is making it increasingly complicated. It may seem that the easiest thing to do is ignore it and say “live and let live. If a man wants to think he is a woman, who cares?”

I read another article in World Magazine (June 2019) about the NCAA crowning its first biologically male women’s track and field champion. CeCe (who used to be Craig) Telfer from New Hampshire’s Franklin Pierce University won the 400 meter hurdles at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships in Texas this year. Telfer finished more than a full second faster than his nearest competitor.  When Craig ran as a man in 2017, he ranked 390^th. He sat out the 2018 season and decided to run as a woman in 2019 which made him the run-a-way champion.

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