Transgendered Roman Catholic Woman Decries Episcopal Actions at General Convention
“Transgenderism should not be celebrated. Transsexuals should not seek ordination”

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
July 23, 2012

Three years ago, I interviewed a transgendered woman (formerly a man), an Anglo-Catholic who has since converted to Roman Catholicism. See interview here http://tinyurl.com/boj9jye

She has been following the decisions of the recent General Convention allowing the first Christian denomination in history to officially affirm transgender sexuality and allow people who have had sex-changes, or "gender reassignment surgery," to apply to be clergy.

She wrote the following to VOL:

“I'm not surprised to see that ECUSA has gone 'all the way' to celebration of gay marriage, and also embraced transgender individuals as one more discriminated minority that requires inclusion. It’s a natural follow-on from the emphasis on equality of result, and just one more way station on the way to the acceptance of other, even more exotic behaviors such as polyamory which are sure to come,” she wrote to VOL.

“The fact that I am myself a transsexual as well as a catholic refugee from ECUSA gives me an interesting position from which to view all of this.

“On the one hand, I do not believe that transgenderism is something to be celebrated, any more than I would celebrate any other abnormal medical condition. It’s an ongoing hardship, no matter what treatment protocol is followed. I continue to read the scientific literature, and the studies continue to indicate that transsexualism, at least, is a very real and very physical (and not a psychological) medical condition. It exists, objectively, in the structure of the brain and should be acknowledged and treated as such.”

People like (Johns Hopkins psychiatrist) Paul McHugh, who believe otherwise, hold their beliefs in spite of the medical studies, not because of them, she noted. See VOL’s story here: http://preview.tinyurl.com/cfu8u8q

“On the other hand, being a transsexual does not give one license to live however one would. God requires us all to live honorable lives, even while we seek healing and wholeness. So the rules God set out Christian service, for ordination, for sex and marriage, apply to all of us.

“Personally, I do not believe transsexual individuals should seek ordination. This has little to do with the individuals as such - they may be very devout and sincere. But the mere existence of the condition causes a stumbling block to other Christians. Therefore in the interests of Christian Charity, well-meaning transsexuals, as with homosexuals, should seek other ways to serve the Lord.

“I sincerely wish that people would stop conflating these issues - medical condition versus theology versus behavior. It confuses the entire discussion, generates a great amount of heat and very little light, and makes it much more difficult for all of us to live in charity with each other.”

Here is the original interview: Guess Who's Coming To Lunch? I meet and interview a transgendered Anglican lady. You will be stunned at what I learned. You can read the story of my interview done in August 2009 here:
http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=11098#.UA4GRrRtq6M
The story has had over 15,000 hits and continues to be read worldwide.

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