Q: One might argue that traditional Judeo-christian values have significant and negatively impacted how the majority of people feel about intersex people. Do you agree or disagree whith this assertion?
First, I believe clarification is in order. What exactly is an intersex person? The Oxford Dictionary states, "It is the physical condition of being partly male and partly female." The Intersex Society of North America says that, "Intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't seem to fit the typical definition of female or male."
It would be difficult to close our eyes to some of the concerns the Church has regarding intersexed people. A world free of shame and secrecy would be ideal, but fear seems to cloud the air-way and we are locked in with no air traffic control. Scary! Where does the Church go from here? Is the Church willing to listen? Some may be, but at what cost to them? Are they willing to lose parishioners, have the Church split, and reargue theology? Does the Church change its values and traditions to include those it formerly rejected?
Because this kind of rejection is sanctioned (the Church says by God) then it is okay to treat human beings as if they have no right to God or to the passion of Christ. However, Ephesians 3:18 tells us "May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love." It is funny how some people take what God gave to everyone and exclude those who are different. We seem to enjoy limiting God. When is it time to be rooted and grounded in love? I love God and I am intersexual, should I let go of God or should I let my sex go? I really don't believe I have a choice on either, if I were heterosexual would I have to chose between God and my sex? God's grace is sufficient.
I grew up attending a southern Black church which was conservative. However, my introduction to a gay person came while attending there. That same person was often found at my grandmother's house (he and his lover) having dinner and conversation with my grandmother. There was a place of acceptance there. The Black church has a very inflexible dress code. Be a lesbian, but wear a dress, don't come in the church a flaming queen, be a man. These things were both implicitly and explicitly set forth and passed on from one generation to the next. Could one come to church as a lesbian, gay, transsexual, I doubt it. But if you are intersexual and could "pass" you may have been accepted.
One must also know that because a church might accept intersexuals does not mean they may be accepting of transsexuals, gays or lesbians.
As a response to rejection rebellion, anger, guilt, bitterness, negative self-image, drugs, ETOH, fear and a myriad of other negative results spring forth as common responses to rejection. In this respect I would say the Church has had a negative impact on many issues, racism, sexism, homosexism and etc. However, I also believe that the spiritual aspect of Judeo/Christian religion helps us to see ourselves as God does rather than as people see us. That said, it takes years to move beyond the need to be accepted by our peers and others, for that one needs no special gender to be considered a member of the club.
In the end, I do agree that traditional Judeo-Christian values have significantly and negatively impacted how the majority of people view intersex people. I also agree that it has had negative impact on racism, sexism, classism and other "isms". Does Judeo/Christianity have any answers? I believe it does if we really begin to follow the tenets of any faith we bascially find love at its crux. Then, of course, we would have to agree on what love is!
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