There is a long history of transgender-related behavior and surgeries to alter primary sexual characteristics that spans from biblical times until today.  If you aren't already familiar with this history, consider starting by reading the brief History of Transgender-related Behavior section in Why is this topic important?  Familiarity with this history is important because it helps to place this behavior in historical context, and in turn understand how families' ability to cope may be affected by factors such as this context.   Following that section, the next paragraphs on the Proportion of People with a Transgender Identity suggests that an implication of the proportion of people who report having this identity as well as the rise in parent's reports that their children have it, along with increases in the rate of "gender-affirming" surgeries, is that this topic is an important one for pastoral care.  Families with a transgender member need support from church members in order to cope.  In addition, if you haven't already had the experience of working with a family with a transgender member or would like more information on the family's experience, consider reading Resources for family members with a transgender member. 

 

Transgender People and Religion

Sometimes people have multiple, additive identities that can't be separated from each other (e.g., gender, race/ ethnicity, religion), a concept known as intersectionality (1*).  These identities affect the individual’s lived experience and make it different from others who do not share the same combination of identities.  The topic of transgender people and religion is related to this concept of intersectionality.  

 

Currently, there is a struggle over gender identity at the societal level (2), which raises certain questions for the theologian, such as the acknowledgment of the creation of two sexes (Genesis 5:2).  Where do transgender people fit in this model?  For an example of these issues from the perspective of a pastor, see The Baptist pastor and his transgender friends.  This YouTube video presents a talk by Pastor Mark Wingfield as he discusses transgender identity.  A more conservative perspective on this topic is available in God & the Transgender Debate: What does the Bible Actually Say about Gender Identity? (see especially chapters 4-7).  

 

Gender identity also brings up questions for the biomedical scientist: Is transgender identity a biological issue?  Some of the latest literature on this topic is available in the Etiology, Treatments, & Outcomes section on this website.  Although this information is written for a clinical audience, some readers may find it useful.  In particular, clergy and lay members may be interested in either the book, Understanding Gender Dysphoria Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture, by Yarhouse (2015) or the book, Gender Identity Disorder and Psychosexual Problems in Children & Adolescents, by Zucker (1995; see especially chapters 6-7). 

 

From the perspective of the families, when a member discloses a transgender identity, it may feel as if the house is on fire. The questions that transgender identity raises for the theologian or biomedical scientist may be the last thing on family members’ minds, at least initially.  Consider that even if you’ve never had the experience of having to deal with the complications that arise when a family member’s gender identity does not conform to societal norms or biblical views, others may not have had this luxury.

 

Points of view within the church diverge over whether gender identity, or one’s notion of oneself as a boy or girl, or man or woman, is linked to one’s biological sex (3).  For example, the Pew Research Center studied Americans' views on gender identity and transgender issues.  It found that although white Evangelicals thought that society had gone too far in its acceptance of transgender people, members of other Christian denominations were more divided in their views on this matter, that is, whether society had gone too far or not far enough.  Meanwhile, the scientific understanding of the links between gender identity and biological sex is still developing, and we still don’t understand them.  

 

This divergence of points of view within the church paired with a lack of consensus in the scientific community can lead to uncertainty for Christians.  It may raise questions regarding whether it is possible for Christians to support a family with a transgender member while keeping strongly held religious convictions that they may have about this issue. The Bible reminds us that a compassionate response is possible since there is no hierarchy of sin and the Bible makes it clear that we have all fallen short of God's glory (Matthew 7:1-3; Romans 3:23).

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In general, family voices on the subject of transgender family members have been quieter than the voices of others who have spoken out on this topic.  When a family has a transgender member, transitions happen not only for the transgender individual, but also his/her family, whether willing or not (4).  For example, this story written by the mother of a transgender daughter illustrates the struggle and adjustment process related to a family's transition.

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Some people may find it surprising to learn that certain transgender people may also identify as Christians and attend church.  Consider the story of a transgender veteran who appears to be more well-versed in the Scriptures surrounding prayer than the Christians who interacted with her.  Another example might be this article from the Washington Post about a teenager whose faith and identity were equally important.  In Resources for Family Members, we learned that although a relatively small proportion of people have a transgender identity, and a similarly small percent of transgender people identify with a religious denomination, about half of those who identify as Christians say they are "evangelical" or "born again."  Despite these small numbers, this topic has received a lot of attention within the church.

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*The citations on this page come from the research literature and are available upon request.

1. Crenshaw, 1991

2. Green, 2015; Miller, 2015; National Geographic, 2017; Nutt, 2017; Williams, 2015; Wood, 2015; Yarhouse, 2015

3. Adams, 2017; De Jong, 2017; Green, 2015; Miller, 2015

4. Connolly, 2006; Whitley, 2013