The Transgender Hype Around The World
Just recenty a transgender male won the Miss Netherlands Beauty Pageant. As a result of this there has been a huge outcry from christian communities and the general public.
Those who believe that the outcry is justified argue that Miss Netherlands is a beauty pageant that is traditionally intended for cisgender women.
They argue that allowing a transgender male to compete in the pageant is unfair to cisgender women, who have been competing in the pageant for many years.
Many also argue that it is confusing and misleading to the public to have a transgender male competing in a pageant that is for women.
Those who believe that the outcry is not justified argue that transgender people should be able to compete in any pageant that they want.
They argue that Miss Netherlands is a pageant about beauty, not about gender identity.
They also argue that the outcry is based on prejudice and discrimination against transgender people.
The outcry over the Miss Netherlands pageant is just one example of the challenges that transgender people face in society. Transgender people are often discriminated against and harassed. They may be denied jobs, housing, and healthcare.
They may also be the victims of violence.
Ultimately, whether or not the outcry over the crowning of a transgender male as Miss Netherlands is justified is a matter of opinion. There are valid arguments to be made on both sides of the issue.
What Would Jesus Say?
Jesus was a compassionate and inclusive person who taught that everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
In the passage (John 8: 1-11) Jesus was teaching in the Second Temple after coming from the Mount of Olives. A group of scribes and Pharisees confronts Jesus, interrupting his teaching.
They bring in a woman, accusing her of committing adultery, claiming she was caught in the very act. They tell Jesus that the punishment for someone like her should be stoning, as prescribed by Mosaic Law.
Jesus begins to write something on the ground using his finger; when the woman’s accusers continue their challenge, he states that the one who is without sin is the one who should cast the first stone at her.
The accusers and congregants depart, realizing not one of them is without sin either, leaving Jesus alone with the woman.
Jesus asks the woman if anyone has condemned her and she answers no. Jesus says that he too does not condemn her and tells her to go and sin no more.
Sin Versus Biology
Whilst we can agree that in the example given above Jesus was confronted with the accusation that the prostitute was sinning in terms of the mosaic law. Is it fair though to say that a person who is transgender is a sinner?
There is no specific passage in the Bible that explicitly addresses transgender people. However, there are a number of passages that could be interpreted as supporting the acceptance of transgender people.
For example, in Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.
This could be interpreted as a command to love and accept all people, regardless of their gender identity.
In addition, Jesus often spoke out against discrimination and prejudice. For example, in Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan, who helps a man who has been beaten and robbed.
The Samaritan was a member of a group that was often discriminated against, but Jesus showed that he was worthy of love and respect.
Based on Jesus’ teachings and actions, it is likely that he would be accepting of transgender people.
He would likely challenge people to think critically about their own biases and prejudices, and he would encourage them to treat transgender people with respect and dignity.
The Real Issue is about Transgender Peoples Rights
Transgender people in the United States have some rights, but not all of the same rights as cisgender people.
There is no federal law that specifically protects transgender people from discrimination, but there are some federal laws that do protect them indirectly.
For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has ruled that this includes discrimination on the basis of transgender status.
In addition, some states and cities have passed laws that specifically protect transgender people from discrimination.
For example, California has a law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
However, there are also some areas where transgender people are not protected from discrimination:
- In some states, transgender people can be denied the right to change their gender marker on their identification documents.
- Transgender people may be denied healthcare services, such as hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery.
- Transgender people may be harassed or discriminated against in schools, workplaces, and other public places.
Conclusion
There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that transgender people have the same rights as everyone else.
Based on the teachings and actions of Jesus if He was on earth today it is highly likely that He would be a voice of inclusion and acceptance.
Transgender people feel like their gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. This is a huge pyschological experience and can also be caused by a number of physical factors.
Transgender people are a small minority of people who like all of us want to be accepted in society as normal people.
They want to have access to government housing and jobs as well as healthcare. They dont want to be beaten up and left for dead on the street because of who they are and the labels that people have put on them.
As for the issue of participation in sports and beauty pageants, it is not going to go away.
Throughout history, hatred and religious bigotory has never won the day. Wars have been fought over differences of opinion and millions of lives have been lost.
When Jesus was on earth his main message was Love. Jesus would also say that prejudice is a sin, and that it is harmful to both the individual and society as a whole.
Jesus would remind us that everyone is created in God’s image, and that this includes transgender people.
Jesus would call us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to treat everyone with compassion and understanding.