{"id":48238,"date":"2023-06-13T21:38:23","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T21:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/?p=48238"},"modified":"2026-03-13T21:00:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T21:00:54","slug":"gender-dysphoria-catholic-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/5.capp-usa.org\/es\/2023\/06\/gender-dysphoria-catholic-response\/","title":{"rendered":"The Catholic Response to Gender Dysphoria"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Gender Dysphoria: A Catholic Response<\/span><\/h1>\n

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How Do We Witness to the Gospel?<\/h5>\n

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by CAPP-USA<\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n

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What is Gender Dysphoria?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


The updated (2022) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) identifies that gender dysphoria is manifested in various ways including \u201cstrong desires to be treated as the other gender or to be rid of one\u2019s sex characteristics, or a strong conviction that one has feelings and reactions typical of the other gender.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The definition of gender dysphoria requires that \u201cfor a person to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, there must be a marked difference between the individual\u2019s expressed\/experienced gender and the gender others would assign him or her, and it must continue for at least six months\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A Catholic response to Gender Dysphoria recognizes it's a real condition and approaches in friendship and with love.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe critical element of gender dysphoria is the presence of clinically significant distress associated with the condition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As a disorder Catholics must be sensitive to the suffering it causes<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Might Gender Dysphorics \"Suffer\"?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


The American Psychiatric Association notes that \u201cTransgender 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.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTransgender 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.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Catholic Response<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


What does the Church say? God made us in his image<\/strong>, and this image is embedded in our body as well as our soul. Our body is intrinsic to our personhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

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)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Those with gender dysphoria need nothing less than our Lord's love. \"<\/span>[T]he love of our Lord must always be made accessible,\" and we \"have no other objective than to arrive at love\u201d.<\/span> (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 25)<\/a><\/p>\n

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 \u2013<\/strong> in friendship<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"[T]he love of our Lord must always be made accessible\". (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 25)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Medical Response to Gender Dysphoria<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


As a fairly new recognized condition (DSM V, 2013) for boys\/men and girls\/women who suffer gender dysphoria and\/or identify as \u201ctransgender\u201d or \u201cnonbinary\u201d the search for cures\/solutions\/treatments must be guided by models promoting the authentic good of the human person.<\/span><\/p>\n

Medical and pastoral support, as Pope Francis teaches, needs to help people \"to accept their own bodies<\/strong>\u00a0and to\u00a0avoid\u00a0the\u00a0pretension 'to cancel out sexual difference because one no longer knows how to deal with it.'\" (Pope Francis, 285)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo fulfill this duty,\u00a0all\u00a0who collaborate in Catholic health care ministry must\u00a0make every effort, using all appropriate means at their disposal, to provide the\u00a0best medical care, as well as Christ\u2019s compassionate accompaniment<\/strong>, to all patients, no matter who they may be or from what condition they may be suffering\u201d.\u00a0(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The Spiritual Response to Gender Dysphoria<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


The Church\u2019s teaching is<\/strong> not meant to curtail love but to enable it<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Although she constantly holds up the call to perfection and asks for a fuller response to God, 'the Church must accompany\u00a0with attention and care\u00a0the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence'\". (Pope Francis, 291)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"The Church cannot remain indifferent to this confusion\u00a0of minds\u2026It is a question, in fact, of a matter which is of the\u00a0utmost importance\u00a0both for the\u00a0personal lives\u00a0of Christians and for the\u00a0social life of our time.\" (Persona Humana, II)<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Truth<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


For growth to be efficacious it must proceed towards the correct goal. The Church\u2019s task is to point to the peace and life-giving path of Christ\u2019s commandments. We owe it to God, our brothers and sisters and ourselves to offer what is true \u2013 and why we believe it is true.<\/span><\/p>\n

And the Truth is that \u201cCreation is prior to us and\u00a0must be received as a gift.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Pope Francis, 56)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Being man\u2019 or \u2018being woman\u2019 is a reality which is good and willed by God:\u00a0man and woman possess an inalienable dignity\u00a0which comes to them immediately from God their Creator.\u201d\u00a0(CCC, 369)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that\u00a0attempt to sunder what are inseparable\u00a0aspects of reality.\u201d\u00a0(Pope Francis, 56)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

As Pope Francis said, \u201ctoday the ugliest danger is gender ideology<\/strong>\u201d. (Address of His Holiness)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Gender Equality and the Church<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Pope Francis and Gender Ideology<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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Three Key Principles<\/a><\/h2>

Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles -\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity<\/strong>,\u00a0Solidarity\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Subsidiarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t

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Human Dignity<\/a><\/h2>

This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person\u2019s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God\u2019s image.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t

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Solidarity<\/a><\/h2>

Solidarity is not \u201ca feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)<\/a> Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t

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Subsidiarity<\/a><\/h2>

Subsidiarity \u201cis a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by the lesser and subordinate bodies\u201d. (Pope Pius XI)<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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