Counsel #7 — Gender Fluidity

Picture: Counsel #7 — Gender FluidityCI 80.1

When we seek to alter our birth gender, we are denying God’s design. Except for the rare cases of ambiguous genitalia at birth, intersex babies, or XY DSD,^{[77]https://rarediseases.org/gard-rare-disease/46-xy-disorders-of-sexual-development/} all babies are born male (X and Y chromosomes) or female (two X chromosomes). Though some parts of culture today seek to blur gender, in biblical masculinity calls for a clear distinction to be made between male and female. Nevertheless, there is a spectrum of characteristics within the female/male differentiation. Not having “classic” male characteristics does not make an individual gay or gender nonbinary, regardless of current LGBTQ+ promotion. Gender ambiguity, such as cross dressing, does not “take courage,” as the world would have us believe. Instead, it is sin.^{[78]Romans 1:21, 22}CI 80.2

Those who struggle with gender fluidity with resulting confusion and depression can find hope in Jesus who loves us even in gender uncertainty.^{[79]https://www.adventist.org/official-statements/statement-on-transgenderism/}CI 80.3

“A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God.” Deuteronomy 22:5 NKJVCI 80.4

"God designed that there should be a plain distinction between the dress of men and women, and has considered the matter of sufficient importance to give explicit directions in regard to it; for the same dress worn by both sexes would cause confusion and great increase of crime. Ellen White in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 460CI 80.5

Reflect: How can you keep your mind “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27) in the face of gender fluidity trends today?CI 80.6