Framing The Transgender Reality For Mormons

The Mormon reaction to a person being Transgender has confused me for several years. The LDS Church repeatedly has insisted that gender identity (like sexual orientation) is a matter of Mental Health or Wretched Wickedness. These positions may fluctuate from time to time but generally speaking Mormons seem react with even more disdain towards a Transgender person than they do to a Homosexual or Bisexual person. This hostility is something I simply don't understand from a doctrinal standpoint, being Transgender is living proof for some of the most fundamental doctrines in the LDS cannon, so opposing a Transgender reality has the effect of shooting your own doctrines in the foot.

In Mormonism the belief in a Pre-Mortal Existence is paramount and is one of the most supreme tenants of a Mormon's faith. It is the Pre-Mortal Existence that solidifies the beliefs in Family, Gender, Satan, Creation, Divine Potential, Mortal Trials, Pro-Creation, Choice/Agency, Afterlife, etc.

Elder Oaks Promotes Fake Science and Conspiracy Theories From The Pulpit

On Sept. 16, 2016 Elder Oaks participated in a Stake Conference Q&A where he was asked how to bring LGBT members back to Church. Instead of answering that question he spoke on LGBT related principles. During his response Elder Oaks appears to reference (with high praise) Dr. McHugh's research claiming that "Gender Confusion" was a mental illness which usually is "grown out of". Oaks continues by suggesting that the "Media" is purposefully avoiding references to McHugh's work for undisclosed reasons. The audio file and transcript for that response can be found HERE.

 

Dr. McHugh is famous for his Anti-LGBT beliefs and research. His Wall Street Journal article claims to have research support, but was exposed by pro-LGBT advocacy groups as a hoax because he falsified research data in his citations, modifying other research studies until they support his claims. Elder Oaks gives credibility to this falsified study by promoting it from the Pulpit. It is also disconcerting that an LDS Apostle would promote Media Conspiracies from the pulpit over his own personal beliefs.

 

Just as dangerous is the notion that an LDS Apostle is publicly endorsing the idea that being Transgender is nothing more than a Mental Illness, a claim no longer supported by the international scientific community.

More information will be forthcoming about Elder Oaks' comments in a future post.

Right Even When Wrong

If you ever want to know what's like arguing with a Mormon, just read the following story:

"A friend's world history teacher told his class that Confucius once remarked "It is wasteful to try to kill a fly with a cannon or a bullet." Someone mentioned that Confucius lived thousands of years before gunpowder was invented, in response to which the teacher argued he was right for some time. The next day he told the class "Even though he wasn't right, they shouldn't have questioned him because he has authority and experience."

He is not teaching at our school next year."