Gender Dysphoria: A Catholic Response
How Do We Witness to the Gospel?
by CAPP-USA
What is Gender Dysphoria?
The updated (2022) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) identifies that gender dysphoria is manifested in various ways including “strong desires to be treated as the other gender or to be rid of one’s sex characteristics, or a strong conviction that one has feelings and reactions typical of the other gender.”
The definition of gender dysphoria requires that “for a person to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, there must be a marked difference between the individual’s expressed/experienced gender and the gender others would assign him or her, and it must continue for at least six months”.
A Catholic response to Gender Dysphoria recognizes it’s a real condition and approaches in friendship and with love.
“The critical element of gender dysphoria is the presence of clinically significant distress associated with the condition.”
As a disorder Catholics must be sensitive to the suffering it causes.
What Might Gender Dysphorics “Suffer”?
The American Psychiatric Association notes that “Transgender people suffer from high levels of stigmatization, discrimination and victimization, contributing to negative self-image and increased rates of other mental health disorders. Transgender individuals are at higher risk of victimization and hate crimes than the general public. Suicide rates among transgender people are markedly higher than the general population.”
“Transgender children and adolescents are often victims of bullying and discrimination at school, which can contribute to serious adverse mental health outcomes. Interventions are often needed to create safe and affirming school environments.”
The Catholic Response
What does the Church say? God made us in his image, and this image is embedded in our body as well as our soul. Our body is intrinsic to our personhood.
However, a Catholic approach to someone with a clinical condition (gender dysphoria) “must be directed to the love that never ends.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 25)
Those with gender dysphoria need nothing less than our Lord’s love. “[T]he love of our Lord must always be made accessible,” and we “have no other objective than to arrive at love”. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 25)
For those troubled with their identity, patience is called for. When a person is on a path seeking wholeness, their search must be encouraged and respected – in friendship.
“[T]he love of our Lord must always be made accessible”. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 25)
The Medical Response to Gender Dysphoria
As a fairly new recognized condition (DSM V, 2013) for boys/men and girls/women who suffer gender dysphoria and/or identify as “transgender” or “nonbinary” the search for cures/solutions/treatments must be guided by models promoting the authentic good of the human person.
Medical and pastoral support, as Pope Francis teaches, needs to help people “to accept their own bodies and to avoid the pretension ‘to cancel out sexual difference because one no longer knows how to deal with it.'” (Pope Francis, 285)
“To fulfill this duty, all who collaborate in Catholic health care ministry must make every effort, using all appropriate means at their disposal, to provide the best medical care, as well as Christ’s compassionate accompaniment, to all patients, no matter who they may be or from what condition they may be suffering”. (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
The Spiritual Response to Gender Dysphoria
The Church’s teaching is not meant to curtail love but to enable it.
“Although she constantly holds up the call to perfection and asks for a fuller response to God, ‘the Church must accompany with attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence'”. (Pope Francis, 291)
“The Church cannot remain indifferent to this confusion of minds…It is a question, in fact, of a matter which is of the utmost importance both for the personal lives of Christians and for the social life of our time.” (Persona Humana, II)
The Truth
For growth to be efficacious it must proceed towards the correct goal. The Church’s task is to point to the peace and life-giving path of Christ’s commandments. We owe it to God, our brothers and sisters and ourselves to offer what is true – and why we believe it is true.
And the Truth is that “Creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift.” (Pope Francis, 56)
“‘Being man’ or ‘being woman’ is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity which comes to them immediately from God their Creator.” (CCC, 369)
“It is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality.” (Pope Francis, 56)
As Pope Francis said, “today the ugliest danger is gender ideology”. (Address of His Holiness)
