Male and Female He Created Them

[Deleted User]

It is very encouraging to hear that what is generally thought of as a “blokey” organisation (Clubs NSW) is moving to become more supportive of transgender people.

In the circumstances I then found it very disturbing to read of the latest commentary from the Catholic Church in Rome in relation to the transgender issue. The document appears to make several seemingly harsh statements including

“blasting modern gender theory, claiming that it seeks to “annihilate the concept of ‘nature.'”,

the idea of people’s gender identities existing along a spectrum “nothing more than a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants.”,

Labeling the biological differences between men and women “constitutive of human identity,” the office also questions the intentions of those who identify as intersex and transgender.

“Efforts to go beyond the constitutive male-female sexual difference, such as the ideas of ‘intersex’ or ‘transgender,’ lead to a masculinity or femininity that is ambiguous,” states the document.

“This oscillation between male and female becomes, at the end of the day, only a ‘provocative’ display against so-called ‘traditional frameworks,’ ” it continues.

And so on

To me, the document seems pretty devoid of compassion, and I fear, will only create additional rejection of transgender people.

The document is titled “Male and Female He Created Them”.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Stephanie for this alert. I suspect the article originated from members or sections of the old conservative a Roman Curia, and does not have the authority or approval of Pope Francis himself.

This Pope does always have to deal with reactionary forces around him who cannot bring themselves to join his more progressive and accepting stances on issues like transgender, homosexuality, lesbianism, intersex etc.. You are right: it does make change and acceptance difficult for all of us – so contrary to the attitudes and teachings of Jesus Christ!

I’m involved in the Plenary 2020 process within the Australian Catholic Church: a ‘listening & dialogue’ program following the child abuse scandals, which seeks input to a reform agenda. I would very much like to read the article you have reported, and wondered if you could give me the link or reference please.
Cheers
Fran x

[JeniSkunk]

I did a bit of hunting for an online copy of the document.
Found a link to aPDF of the document, on the US news site, NPR.

NPR page – Vatican Issues Document During Pride Month Denying Concept Of Gender Identity
The NPR page has a link to another site with a PDF of the document

Hope this helps, Fran

[Deleted User]

Thanks Jeni. In the meantime I found it myself and downloaded. I have shared it already with our ‘Catholic Acceptance’ group in Melbourne with a view to developing and circulation a position paper of our own in response. ‘Male & Female’ may have significant impacts around Australia’s Catholic Education sector, so we want to see what we can do to counter that.

I’ve Also done a bit of online research and am happy to report that the article has been roundly critiqued around the world, especially in USA.

Also we do have a major weapon in our armoury: in 1975 the Vatican Rota ( ecclesiastical court) ruled that an earlier decision to recognise the rights of born intersex people to ‘order their own external gender expression – clothing, identity etc- autonomously as they see fit’ would apply also to transgender people. So the Congregation for Catholic Education ( a department of the Roman Curia) is actually already hoisted on its own petard.

Still, it does offer a topical platform for LGBTQI + Catholics to argue our case from. ‘Bring it on’ as Americans like to say. LOL