Is Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner Now a Woman?

Is Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner Now a Woman?

Bruce-CaitlynThe answer to that question shouldn’t be uncertain… but it is. To be sure, lots of people are absolutely certain that he is now a woman. They might even declare that he always has been!

A Delicate Issue…

This is going to be a hard blog post to write… but as hard as it might be, it is even more needful.

Gender is a core aspect of our individual identity as human persons. We must get it right! Each and every one of us needs to know and understand our own gender in order to have an accurate view of ourselves! But gender has been anything but clear in our culture lately.

And with the public declaration of Bruce Jenner that we should now call him/her “Caitlyn Jenner,” the question of gender right out there for us all to see.

How is gender determined anyway? And how does the answer to that question inform our effort to answer the question in the title of this post?

Defining Gender

We can’t determine answers to the gender-assignment question until we define gender itself. But here’s where the culture has gone astray. So let me define it directly:

Throughout all the natural world and for every sort of gendered creature…

Gender is determined by one thing and one thing alone… Reproductive Function.

That statement is scientifically incontrovertible. Any attempt to define it some other way—just for humans—is simply unscientific… and wrong.

We never refer to dogs as “gay” or cats as “trans-gender.” Why? Because we don’t query them for their “preferences” or “feelings” when we determine their gender… we look to their physical attributes and discern their reproductive function. And we are not wrong.

Bruce Jenner—when born—was announced to the world with “It’s a BOY!”

Did the doctors make a mistake that day? Should they have instead declared (as Bruce does now), “It’s a GIRL… albeit with a penis and scrotum!”

No, when Bruce was born, he was a boy. They got is right. And they got it right because the only factor utilized for making a gender declaration that day was the very clear evidence of his future reproductive function; he had a penis… he was a boy.

“What If I Don’t FEEL Like a Boy?”

Sugar and spice and everything nice
That’s what little girls are made of.

What if a little boy is not made of “snips and snails and puppy dog tails”? What if that boy is more “nice” like “sugar and spice”? What then?

The old nursery rhyme notwithstanding, these things are still not the determiner of gender.

Sometimes a man doesn’t feel like a typical man. Sometimes a woman doesn’t feel like a typical woman.

That’s a reality. I acknowledge that! But what does it mean?

I want to offer an answer to that question that I’ve never heard the church or anyone else offer. Yet, I suggest it is rooted firmly in the Scriptures.

The Image of God

It goes all the way back to “The Beginning.” Genesis 1:26-27… “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

There we see not only the sum total of valid gender labels, but we also see that God created both genders “in His Own Image” and “likeness.” Evidently, being “like God” wasn’t something that one gender alone was sufficient to portray, so God created two genders.

This means that both men and women received many of their qualities from their “likeness” to God. It then follows that what we might call “masculine” is derived from our likeness to God. Likewise, all that we might call “feminine” finds its source in God as well.

But you know what? The bible never defines the measures of “masculinity” nor “femininity.” We are all simply declared to be “in His image and likeness.” We might suggest that a particular attribute is “typical” of men, or “typical” of women, but no attribute is absolute. We’ve all known sensitive and nurturing men, and we’ve all known strong and assertive women.

Every last one of us is invested with an array of attributes drawn from the character of God Himself. So when a man is sensitive, he’s still like God. When a woman is strong, she’s still like God. Gender is unaffected.

Gender by Stereotype??

We, as a culture, have largely laid aside the real measure of gender, preferring instead to point to things that are stereotypically (but subjectively) “male” or “female.”

Why have we done this? Why have we resorted to stereotypes to define gender? Could it not be that by labeling feelings and preferences and other attributes as “male” or “female” we have created a climate that feeds the sort of confusion of gender that we see expressed in our world today?

Shouldn’t we rather stick with what the doctors said on the day of our birth, and simply accept whatever mixture of the divine likeness that God decided to implant in that little baby’s being?

I suggest to you that within the ranks of males we need men who are sensitive, nurturing, and who possess other feminine-labeled attributes. Among the ranks of females we need women who are physically strong, mentally assertive, and who possess other masculine-labeled attributes. Thankfully, that’s exactly what God has done within the human race!

The Answer to Gender Confusion

So… back to the question raised in the title of this blog post… “Is Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner Now a Woman?”

The answer is a very obvious “No.” Bruce has never been a woman. He’s not a woman now, and he never will be a woman. Even his DNA will tell the entire world that he’s a man.

But Bruce most likely is not your stereotypical guy… evidently, he’s always identified with the attributes/feelings/preferences that we have culturally—and in some measure, arbitrarily—assigned to the female gender.

Honestly… THAT’S OK!!

I can and will accept and even celebrate any man who is so wired! I will personally support him in his unique rendition of God’s likeness, especially in this culture of stereotype-based gender assignment!

That’s the right way to treat someone who’s wired differently than I am… it is NOT  right to redefine his gender!

I really feel bad that Bruce has now fallen victim to the notion that his gender identity is based upon his feelings. I grieve that any man or woman feels so divergent from our culture’s definition of their assigned gender that they would believe that the only solution to their internal conflict is to identify with the opposite gender… or one of the dozens of other gender labels that have been invented lately.

Male and Female He Created Them.

There are only two genders. That’s the final word from our Creator.

And He established no master list of “masculine” or “feminine” attributes… for they all reflect God’s likeness. There are simply too many attributes “like God” to be contained in a single gender. God mixes and matches them uniquely in every single person.

Let’s celebrate the God-given and creative diversity found in our unique sets of attributes… independent of gender.

And let’s keep calling men “men”, and women “women.”

— Pastor David Martin

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See also: The Imago Dei
Listen to: The Incarnation — Scene One

For an outstanding statement from a woman who didn’t fit the stereotypes…
Read: I Wished I Had Been Born a Boy

9 COMMENTS

comments user
jfoxvog

Your point, that gender confusion comes from rigid gender roles, is a good one. But you may be too absolute, ignoring the occasional birth defect that produces and intersex result.

    comments user
    David Martin

    Thanks for your comment.
    .
    I don’t think I’m being “too absolute” and I’m certainly not “ignoring” birth defects or genetic “errors” that some people are born with. I don’t include them in the discussion because the real point of the conversion is about what the human design really is. To argue for “normalcy” based upon the incidence of something everyone has to consider a genetic “error” is not valid.
    .
    When someone is born with a mistaken DNA set (such as XXY or XYY or whatever else can happen), then the resultant gender identity confusion is certainly understandable and warrants our understanding and compassion as such individuals deal with the unique physical consequences that result from the extra set of DNA instructions in their bodies.
    .
    BUT… that is NOT what is at play with Caitlyn or anyone else that’s fighting for acceptance as “transgender” in our world today… they are people with very normal DNA sequences that declare them either male or female, and they wish to declare to be the opposite gender (and I would consider such a case to be a different issue altogether). Consequently, invoking the reality of such DNA errors occurring in rare cases to support their claim that “transgender” is a viable option to declare for one’s gender is not valid.
    .
    David Martin

      comments user
      jfoxvog

      Don’t worry, I was not trying to justify transsexualism from the rare intersex state. We are not disagreeing. I am pleased to see you specifically call for understanding and compassion for those with sexual birth defects.

      comments user
      april adams

      I am studying a subject matter, Post Pornographic Bodies at UNSW in Sydney, Australia. Having stumbled across your blog page, I am enlightened by your blog and the sophisticated debate with historical and biblical, pop culture references and examples. I simply want to thank you for thought provoking topics you raise in your archives. With permission, I continue to use this as a reference point for tutorial discussions. Sincerely. April Adams

        comments user
        webadmin

        Thank you April!

comments user
Hunter Zac

While I agree with everything that you say in this piece. I wonder how you think from a biblical or logical perspective how we should help people with the medical condition of Gender Dysphoria. As this is very common reason that people will look into changing their gender.

comments user
Adam C.

I deeply appreciate your thoughts on the origins of the”gender issue.” I completely agree that it has so much to do with the rigidity of our society on the aspects and stereotypes of each gender. It is really nice to see that a site I hold in high esteem corroborates my theory.

A little about me: I’m a male college student with gender dysphoria. Meaning and only meaning that I don’t really like being male, physically or otherwise.That being said, I realize that I was created this way on purpose by a perfect God, in His image, and therefore would never believe myself to be a female in any way, shape, or form. I have no spiritual disillusionment or even any qualms about how I was made, because I know it was for a purpose. I figure if God thought I would better serve Him as a female, He would have made me a female. Regardless if I’m correct on that or not, I know that there isn’t really anything I can do about my situation except be just as feminine as I was created, living into God’s intended design for me.

I feel that my story is an argument against transsexualism, at least in the Christian worldview. I understand the desire to want to physically, emotionally, and socially be the other gender. And yet – I know I was created male, and if only for the simple fact that He is God and I am not, I’m okay with that. I trust that my maleness will be used in God’s great ministry.

Blessings,
Adam C.

    comments user
    Jason

    Adam, what a God-affirming testimony! Have you written your story and convictions anywhere? May the Lord continue to bless your insight and give you grace and peace.

comments user
Lilia C.

I have a adopted son who’s been in and out of prison for 10 years. He got involved with wrong people, was on meth and other drugs. My son was 8 months old when he came into my foster home. He was diagnosed with ADHD and as youth in special needs schools and treatments. I haven’t been able to visit him for over 4 years because the location where he’s inprisoned is too far from where I live. My son didn’t have a cell mate for 3 1/2 years ;he now has a cellie and I guess the term is ‘turned him out’. Now he says he always felt feminine (which I know is not true) and is taking meds to become a transgender. We’re a Christian family–I happened upon your article.I’m going write him bring out points you talk about.

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