Yesterday,
in RCIA class the students presented controversial topics to open a dialogue in
Christian moral theology. We had four groups
of students covering the hot topics of abortion & euthanasia,
homosexuality, war and chastity. The
groups normally present how society and the church view each subject matter; in
addition, to sharing their own personal stand.
As teachers, we play devil’s advocate challenging their views by asking
them questions that will inspire deeper reflection and hopefully a better
understanding about why church teachings need to form our social consciousness. It’s sad to see how relativism has penetrated
the minds of many and how misinformed people are about church moral teaching. Many think that the church is intolerant, out
dated and wrong because they don’t take the time to really explore and learn
about their faith. Recently, I have come
across an issue that really upsets and worries me, the issue of making public restrooms
accessible to transgender people. I have
been vocal about how I was molested as a child and this experience has seriously
affected me in my daily life. While I have
overcome a lot of issues associated with the abuse- I still feel safer around
people of my own sex. In fact, I go out of
my way to have women doctors, my psychologist & therapist must be women,
and recently joining a female only gym has been such a positive experience. Therefore, gender neutral bathrooms terrify
me. I have been thinking a lot about
this lately, biologically we are male and female, but now society is saying
that if we identify more with one sex over the other that’s who we are. That if I feel like a woman that’s enough to
go and use the women’s restroom regardless of the sex I was born with? So, their argument is that sexual identity is
a matter of feeling, a matter of choice and nothing to do with biology. If I feel
female that’s enough to use the women’s restroom- now some might argue that I
am being unfair that this is in support of the transgendered community… But who is going
to be keeping tabs at the door making sure that only the “real” people who identify as women come through the door?
We have
become a people that aims to be a feel-good-all-inclusive, progressive society. Yet, our church continues to guide us and to
help us define what is right. Pope Francis
recently said in regards to this gender confusion – that we must help people accept
their objective sexual identity. He says
that we must teach the young “to accept their bodies as it was created… and to
help them respect and appreciate their sexual difference.” Our Pope tells us that it’s ok to be
different because God purposely created us so.
Transgendered people argue that public restroom accommodations is a
right they have, that having bathrooms separated by sex is a type of
discrimination. American ears fear the
word discrimination; thus, Target stores in an effort for equality have stated
that transgendered people are free to use whichever restroom they feel
comfortable with… What about my rights
as a woman? Am I not being discriminated? Are my rights not being violated?
I am a woman because biologically that’s how God created me- do I not
have the right to have public accommodations for me? Must I accept that now being a woman is based
on feeling not biological? It always
comes down to definitions maybe we need to go back to basics and remember what
male and female means. It goes beyond a
feeling- it’s a matter of biology and science.
Secular culture normally loves to use science to oppose religion – well this
time science clearly explains what male and female are. Thus, I have a right as a woman to retain my
public bathroom usage as is.
There’s a
petition to challenge Target's policy and keep restrooms seperated by sex, but to offer a unisex option for the trandgendered community. I urge you to sign the petition below:
No comments:
Post a Comment