Apologetic
Only in recent decades has the medical community taken upon itself the responsibility to ‘normalize’ those born with mal-formed bodies, assigning children a gender role which is not necessarily congruent with their genetic make-up. Last century the practice began, performing neo-natal surgery which literally changed the life identity of tens of thousands of children.
Those who escaped the surgeon’s knife have hardly been ignored in our sex-driven society. Female athletes were systematically subjected to chromosome screening for Olympic competition, a test abandoned after the Atlanta games. Young women, whose life interest and ability had centered on sports, were sent away from competitions devastated, humiliated, told before the whole world that they were not female. Locker room comparisons have tortured Klinefelter’s Syndrome patients, males born with two XX chromosomes plus one Y, develop breast tissue, often poor in sports, and are generally infertile without pharmaceutical regimen.
Clinical analysis has been no less brutal. A quick read of published debate bears little evidence of the personal trauma of an intersex patient. Dr. Peter Lee from the University of Pittsburgh writes, “The situations in which surgery should be considered are those cases with clearly ambiguous genitalia. A decision needs to be made concerning what has been termed “sex of rearing” or “gender assignment.” Only the most extreme would advocate raising a child as a third sex.” Clearly ambiguous? Third sex?
Medical terminology, established long before current diagnostic capabilities, labeled persons male pseudo-hermaphrodite who were born with externally female physical bodies, but lacked female internal reproductive organs. Now called AIS (androgen insensitivity syndrome) the condition can result in a broad scope of birth anomalies from external appearance of female or male. Yet, on a cellular level, AIS patients have been uniquely built different than male or female, but all to the Creator’s specifications.
In actuality, there are roughly five categories of genetic disorders which result in ambiguous or conflicting gender identity which are not resolved even with a XX=girl XY=boy test! Errantly the term hermaphrodite is used when actually the individual is more ‘neither’ than ‘both’. Clearly there must be eventual adoption of gender by the patient. Standard medical practice for decades has included an elaborate web of half-truths designed to comfort both parent and patient when making irreversible surgical decisions, even absolute denial.
Dr. William Reiner of Johns Hopkins told of his experience with a 7-year-old girl, who had been born a mal-formed male, then surgically made ‘female’. The child’s parents asked Dr. Reiner to tell the child the truth. Reiner related when he told the youngster, the child opened ‘his’ eyes as wide as eyes could open, climbed into the doctor’s lap, and held in a tight hug for nearly an hour.
Truth is a hard thing to accept for patients, doctors, and especially parents. When out of love for your child you make decisions, which change that child’s very, self, living honestly with those decisions is often the greatest challenge. Some genetic intersex persons appear very ‘normal’ on the outside, even during a diaper change! Horror stories of families moving to a new city to hide the truth, disowning their child when the condition is made public, even religious ritual ‘purging’ to declare the genetic condition to be sin, all are tragically real responses. In some eastern cultures the birth of such a child is welcomed. India has a special city dedicated solely to genetic intersex persons, showing acceptance, yet, without God’s true grace.
Does the existence of genetic gender ‘mis-fits’ really touch you and I?
First of all, you know someone born this way whether you realize it or not, an athletic gal, a tall bosomy man, a barren woman, a well know actress. Not every one of them has been ‘assigned’ a gender by a doctor. In the USA there are statistically over 400,000 individuals who have been subjected to gender ‘normalization’ either by surgery or pharmaceuticals. Some adult intersex patients even ‘switch gender’ from that which was assigned or assumed at birth, simply to be correct. Not a reference to trans-sex persons, these are individuals whose diagnosis was missed or early treatment was incorrect, and now have become frustrated, desperate, only seeking to be whole, to be healed.
Dr. Philip Gruppuso of Brown University School of Medicine, one who has changed his view writes, “In the absence of definitive data [on outcome], the most compelling thing to do is the old, ‘Do no harm.’ While such surgery may satisfy parents’ concerns about their child’s social development long-term, the outcome may be much poorer than had previously been thought. Negative outcomes resulting from standard practices may not receive the same attention as positive outcomes. Predicting the future gender identity of an infant with ambiguous genitalia is uncertain at best. I have been involved in a case in which the patient reversed the gender “assigned” at birth once he reached adolescence.”
How does the church treat or mistreat these individuals? The single place for understanding and grace is rarely found within the church. Godly parents forced to make neo-natal decisions must leave open the door that their ‘boy child’ will grow to be female, or vice versa! What a weighty challenge to face with or without support of the church. When asked why a man was born blind, Jesus responded, “that the works of God might be revealed in him.” God works in the lives of genetic intersex person, too. Popular Christian media will speak of sin such as adultery, or more visible congenital disorders such as Downs Syndrome, but has yet to bring awareness mainstream. Tabloid media has exploited the topic, but with very few facts. NBC’s Dateline and ABC’s 20/20 have aired numerous stories on the topic, but none from a godly perspective.
ISGI, an evangelical organization centered on genetic intersex lives, ministers to families of special newborns as well as adults coping with the enigma of their unclear biological gender. (http://www.isgi.org) Bringing sanctity to those facing these genetic birth conditions, ISGI is headed by a genetic intersex person, a woman once forced to leave her church based on rumors she was not really a woman. Genetic intersex is not sexual perversion. By God’s grace that woman found a church home willing to examine the whole truth of her physical condition, submitted to authority and discipline of that church, and is now serving in full time mission service, a eunuch for Christ!
According to Barclay the eunuch is physically “unsexed”. Gender and gender roles, though, are not subject to the variety of human development. God clearly created ‘male and female’, for procreation, fellowship, and to serve as a ‘visual-aid’ of Christ and His bride, the church. Adherence to these two roles is a scriptural imperative. What the intersex person must personally decide is where they fit into this God-given binary system. Unfortunately, the medical community, society, even the church, all find it a decision difficult to relinquish to the genetic intersex person. Taunting and rumors create shame and secrecy in the pew as often as the schoolyard! How can one wait and see who their child is? Parents want to bring home a newborn boy or girl. Doctor’s want to ‘nip it in the bud’. And in the church… Have you ever heard a sermon on those born eunuchs?
Angelo is just about three years old. When he was born the gasp in the delivery room was not solely from his first feeble breath. The attending doctors immediately rushed Angelo to an adjoining room to attempt to save his life. Angelo was born with a gaping hole in his abdomen, an undeveloped urinary tract, and no bladder. His little boy parts were virtually non-existent. Immediately the doctors instructed family to not declare the birth of a boy. After an agonizing first month, Angelo was stabilized and his parents were presented with a request by the doctors. Because of his incomplete reproductive system, Angelo would never develop like other little boys, let alone father a child. To the horror of the parents (sister and brother-in-law of a Baptist pastor) doctors suggested a series of surgeries to turn Angelo into a girl. The reasoning being that it would be easier for the child to live with constructed female parts than to live without normal male parts. Many parents facing the same choice follow the doctor’s suggestion. What would you do?
Diane grew up in a small evangelical church. A tall and beautiful girl, she remembers taking part in AWANA and other youth activities during her formative years. Everyone in the little Wisconsin church knew her, and also knew on some level that she was not quite normal. Diane was born XY chromosome, but her body developed female on the outside. Lacking internal reproductive organs, she was subjected to many corrective surgeries throughout her life to make her functional should she every marry. In her teen years, during the final painful procedure, faithful friends from her church stood with her in the hospital during her recovery. The physical pain Diane experienced could easily have been eclipsed by those questioning, “Is she really female?” What questions would you have pondered?
Bruce is now semi-retired. After forty years in the ministry he remains active in several outreach programs. Bruce and his wife were unable to have children, so adopted a wonderful family. Thirty years into his marriage, his wife developed breast cancer. While she was undergoing therapy and recovery, Bruce asked the doctors “Can a man develop breast cancer?” Their response was a certain, “Yes!” Bruce’s concern was not a whimsical query. A tall boy since junior high, Bruce has always struggled with his weight. As a teen he developed breast tissue, which in the 1950’s was equated solely to ‘fat boys’. Now, with his wife facing the serious consequence of cancer, Bruce requested an exam. What was revealed came as a complete surprise, negative for cancer, but positive for Klinefelter’s Syndrome. Bruce has an extra X chromosome, XXY. Now the reason Bruce’s wife did not conceive became evident. He carried a bonus chromosome, X or Y, depending on the viewpoint. Had the condition been treated throughout life with hormone regimen, he would not have been infertile. Now a grandpa (by adoption), Bruce has expressed frustration and relief at the diagnosis. Committed to his marriage and ministry, he is now trying to come to grips with the realization that his every cell has components of both male and female. He lives with great anxiety that his ministry would be stained should this genetic condition be made public. Bruce is not female, but like hundreds of thousands who have been born with Klinefelter’s Syndrome, he had to endure a lifetime of jokes poked at his body, uniquely shaped by this very real genetic condition. Did you in your youth ever make light of such a person?
Jen’s parents have told everyone that “she was twins that didn’t separate”. Jen has always liked sports and is now on a college scholarship for volleyball. She has never had a monthly cycle because there are no internal parts to cycle. Because her condition is X chromosome linked, it is passed by the mother’s side of the family. She has an aunt with the same condition of whom her family never speaks, more secrets.
Shar’s folks were wealthy and could pay for the best doctors in Manhattan. Now Shar is a world renown actress. She fears that her career would be ruined if the truth of her genetic condition were broadly known. An adoptive parent and loving wife, she is keenly aware of special life and has made the most of her tom-boyish looks.
Bruce, Diane, Angelo, Jen, Shar, each is a real person. If it were safe to do so, their actual names and home church could be published here, but it is not safe. The church is not categorically safe. Fear, suspicion, ignorance, all add to the secrecy forced upon the lives of these born with a genetic anomaly. Like the founder of ISGI who was told to never return to her church home, families continue to hide from the truth.
Who are they hiding from? These families of mal-formed babies, surgically altered individuals, people in Christ’s kingdom, are hiding from you! They are afraid of the truth, when Jesus said, “The truth will set you free…and whom the Son sets free shall be free indeed.” There are sound doctrinal churches worldwide which have studied the “genetic eunuch” honestly and with grace…not just Angelo’s pastor/uncle, or Diane’s small fellowship.
Granted, accountability and discernment need be part of any exceptional situation. Whether you hear a sermon on those born eunuchs or not, if accountability has been met, there should be but one response from the Church, Christ’s bride. Grace.
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