Gender Identity Disorder / Transsexualism

Gender Identity Disorder, or Transsexualism, is a condition that increasingly seems to be a phenomenon of today's society. There are varying assumptions made about the causes of gender identity problems or transsexual tendencies. However, there is no substantiated evidence to indicate that transsexualism, where a person feels they are trapped in the body of the other gender, is caused by one's genes.

There have been many cases where psychological treatment - which looks at environmental, social and behavioural patterns and the root causes for this behaviour - has restored people to their original birth gender.

Transsexualism is different to intersex conditions, where people are born with an indeterminate sex, perhaps with ambiguous genitalia.
Some intersex groups do not like being included with homosexual lobby groups since 'intersex' conditions are genetic - they want it to be seen as quite distinct from homosexuality, for which there is no evidence it is genetic. Some groups representing intersex people also ask that doctors do not surgically operate on children born with these conditions until they are older. 

Christians need to approach this issue with wisdom, love and compassion.
There is no prescriptive 'formula' for dealing with people who have gender identity problems. However, knowledgeable counsellors and well informed psychiatrists are essential to the early stages of recovery.

We believe that people are not born in the opposite gender and that changing one's 'gender', by hormones or surgery, is not consistent with the Bible. The church needs to affirm God's love for all humanity. Care needs to be given in how we approach the situation. We must give them our support and assistance and provide them with access to professional counselling. Ultimately, however, it is God - Father, Son and and the Holy Spirit - who will heal and restore. We personally know several people who have actually undergone surgery to change their gender and have later reverted to their original sex - often through God's grace and appropriate counselling.

Pages on this issue
The tabs on the left cover a range of matters related to this topic.

Articles

Australian Legal cases
* WA - AB and AH - Registration of gender change - August 2009
* Re Bernadette - another Family Court case re hormone treatment for a child.
* Re Brodie (May 2008 - hormone treatment for 12 year old)
* Re Alex (2004)
* Re Kevin (2001)
* AB (2007 - birth certificate change whilst still married - refused)
* Grace Abrams (2007 - passport in new gender - whilst married - went to AAT - granted)

Overseas legal cases

Organisations

Resources