Former Raleigh Diocese Bishop, Bishop Burbidge promulgating "A Catechesis on the Human Person and Gender Ideology."
by VP
Posted on Monday August 23, 2021 at 11:56PM in Documents
A Catechesis on the Human Person and Gender Ideology
"The claim to “be transgender” or the desire
to seek “transition” rests on a mistaken view of the human person,
rejects the body as a gift from God, and leads to grave harm. To affirm
someone in an identity at odds with biological sex or to affirm a
person's desired “transition” is to mislead that person. It involves
speaking and interacting with that person in an untruthful manner.
Although the law of gradualness 18 might prompt us to discern
the best time to communicate the fullness of the truth, in no
circumstances can we confirm a person in error. Indeed, there is
ample evidence that “gender affirmation” not only does not resolve a
person's struggles but also can in fact exacerbate them. The acceptance
and/or approval of a person's claimed transgender identity is
particularly dangerous in the case of children, whose psychological
development is both delicate and incomplete. First and foremost, a child
needs to know the truth: He or she has been created male or female,
forever. Affirming a child's distorted self-perception or supporting a
child's desire to “be” someone other than the person (male or female)
God created, gravely misleads and confuses the child about “who” he or
she is. In addition, “gender-affirming” medical or surgical
interventions cause significant, even irreparable, bodily harm to
children and adolescents. These include the use of puberty blockers (in
effect, chemical castration) to arrest the natural psychological and
physical development of a healthy child, cross-sex hormones to induce
the development of opposite-sex, secondary sex characteristics, and
surgery to remove an adolescent's healthy breasts, organs, and/or
genitals. These kinds of interventions involve serious mutilations of
the human body, and are morally unacceptable. Although some
advocates justify “gender affirmation” as necessary to reduce the risk
of suicide, such measures appear to offer only temporary psychological
relief, and suicidal risks remain significantly elevated following
gender-transitioning measures.19 Adolescents are
particularly vulnerable to claims that “gender transition” will resolve
their difficulties. Long-term studies show “higher rates of mortality,
suicidal behavior and psychiatric morbidity in gender-transitioned
individuals compared to the general population.” 20/21 In
addition, studies show that children and adolescents diagnosed with
gender dysphoria have high rates of comorbid mental health disorders,
such as depression or anxiety, are three to four times more likely to be
on the autism spectrum, and are more likely to have suffered from
adverse childhood events, including unresolved loss or trauma or abuse.22
Psychotherapeutic treatments that incorporate “ongoing therapeutic work
… to address unresolved trauma and loss, the maintenance of subjective
well-being, and the development of the self,” along with established
treatments addressing suicidal ideation are appropriate interventions.23 Gender transition is not the solution. Indeed,
to disregard or withhold information about the harms of pursuing
“transition” or about the benefits of alternative, psychotherapeutic
treatments constitutes a failure in both justice and charity. " {..}
"The faithful
should avoid using “gender-affirming” terms or pronouns that convey
approval of or reinforce the person's rejection of the truth. It is not
harsh or judgmental to decline to use such language. In the broader
culture, Catholics may experience significant pressure to adopt
culturally-approved terminology. However, in no circumstances should
anyone be compelled to use language contrary to the truth. The right to
speak the truth inheres in the human person and cannot be taken away by
any human institution. Attempts by the state, corporations, or employers
to compel such language, particularly by threats of legal action or job
loss, are unjust. We must love in the truth, and truth must be
accurately conveyed by our words. At the same time, clarity must always
be at the service of charity, as part of a broader desire to move people
towards the fullness of the truth. "
