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FIRST-PERSON Far-fetched?

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McMINNVILLE, Ore. (BP)–If I were to maintain that I was born the wrong race –- let’s say a black person in a white body — not only would I not be taken seriously, but current society would likely suggest that I was in need of some intense counseling.

However, if someone insists they were born the wrong gender -– a man in a woman’s body or vice versa — many in American society not only embrace the concept, they seek to make public accommodation.

A recent report in The New York times highlighted the push by transgender activists to “establish gender-neutral bathrooms in public places.” According to the report, transgender is “an umbrella term that can include transsexuals [people who believe they were born the wrong sex], cross-dressers and those with a fluid, androgynous identity who do not consider themselves completely male or female.”

To the aforementioned, gender is not a matter of biology but rather a matter of belief or feeling. So all-encompassing is the definition of transgender that it includes people who not only want to dress like the opposite sex, but also those who feel like a man on Monday but like a woman on Tuesday.

The most disturbing among those who inhabit the transgender world are those who believe they were born the wrong sex. These individuals spend thousands of dollars to undergo “sex reassignment” surgery. They literally have their bodies reconstructed to resemble the opposite sex.

Transgender activists are pressuring cities and colleges to provide specific facilities for their use. According to The Times, several colleges have acquiesced and five cities, including New York and San Francisco, also have complied.

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While The Times’ report did not explore the concept of transgender rights beyond public bathrooms, there are cities, colleges and companies with policies that accommodate the needs/desires of transsexuals, cross-dressers and the sexually confused.

Public accommodation is tantamount to public recognition, which leads to the acceptance of something as a natural and normal part of life. Whatever you think about those in the transgender community, they are not normal.

“In my opinion,” wrote one female author commenting on the issue of transgender, “any man who thinks simply having his penis removed, having breasts implants, and taking hormones turns him into a woman needs to be in a psychiatrist’s office….”

Sadly, too many in the field of medicine and psychology have capitulated to the politically correct version of tolerance. Rather than help those with confused ideas of sexuality, they have only accommodated a twisted view of identity.

If we are going to accommodate transgender folk, what about those who believe they were born trans-species? Strange as it may seem, there are individuals who believe they are, at the very least, part animal. Far fetched? Yes, but remember the idea of transgender was once viewed by the whole of society as strange. However, it has gained acceptance.

Should trans-species individuals be allowed to go potty in public? Should society provide giant litter boxes for those who believe they are part feline? How about oversized fire hydrants for the person who is convinced he or she is a dog trapped in a human body?

We live in a fallen world that is fraught with perversion. As a result, it should not come as a shock that some people develop bizarre ideas concerning sexuality. People with perverse inclinations need prayer; they need help and perhaps even pity. However, what they do not need is public accommodation.
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Kelly Boggs is pastor of the Portland-area Valley Baptist Church in McMinnville, Ore. His column appears each Friday in Baptist Press.