SW News: Archbishop of Oklahoma City Paul Coakley released a pastoral letter "On the Unity of the Body and Soul: Accompanying Those Experiencing Gender Dysphoria," on Sunday, April 30.
The aim of this letter is to offer pastoral advice on how the Church, its ministers, and the lay faithful can accompany or walk with those who struggle with their gender identity, especially those who identify as transgendered. The archbishop defines gender dysphoria as “strong, persistent feelings of identification with another gender and discomfort with one’s biological gender and sex.”
The letter describes the anthropology at the heart of the transgender movement. The prelate said that persons who identify as transgendered are created by God, are loved by God, and “we as faithful Christians are called to love each of them as our neighbor.”
The letter states that the two genders are a result of the two God-given sexes, whose lived expression differs across and within civilizations, giving rise to the exquisite diversity that is masculinity in men and femininity in women.
Pope Francis emphasized that biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated since gender should reflect the whole person. If gender is to serve the individual, it cannot be detached from the sex that gives it significance or is constrained by rigid stereotypes.
Archbishop Coakley states that humanity's complexity and freedom are most evident when it comes to gender. Although biology has strict limitations, it is affected by culture and personal preference. A few of the many variables that impact how we think and feel about ourselves include our upbringing, societal conventions, religious beliefs, and personal preference. “What tremendous suffering it must be to feel a lack of congruence between one’s sex and gender! We must tread lightly and with great compassion as we seek truth related to situations filled with pain,” he wrote in the letter.
The archbishop asked first to recognize the profound suffering experienced by this tiny subset of the population. Research on transgender people in the US found that 40% of them have attempted suicide at least once, which is nearly nine times more than the general population. More than half (54%) have experienced verbal harassment, and almost half (47%) have been sexually assaulted. Additionally, they are more likely than the general population to struggle with problems like substance abuse, eating disorders, and dissociative disorders.
He urged the Catholics to be concerned for the well-being of people who identify as transgendered and strongly reject any forms of violence and unfair discrimination against them in light of this worrying image.