One of the most interesting shifts in modern society is the change in perspective regarding the "trans movement." US states and countries around the world seem to draft legislation each year regarding the best ways to allow or restrict gender assignment surgeries. But what should Christians think of this movement?
Seemingly every month, another nation or US state passes updated legislation on transgender practices.
Some governments (such as Canada and Belgium) have adopted policies that present no restriction or very little restriction to changing gender, both from a legal perspective and from a medical one.
Others (such as Russia and much of Africa and the Middle East) have an outright ban on either practice or, at least, have severe restrictions in place.
Still others (such as the United States and several European nations) sit somewhere in between. Most of the movement in this sphere has come within this group, though the direction of that movement might be somewhat different from what one might expect.
Though the vast majority of Europe and North America have been trending in a more liberal direction on most social issues, especially regarding sexuality and gender, certain aspects of the gender identity discussion have pushed in the opposite direction.
Specifically regarding the idea of transgenderism among minors, the shift is obvious. More and more US states and foreign countries are passing stricter legislation against the possibility of minors receiving hormone-manipulating medication and/or gender-altering surgeries. Even more left-leaning nations like Sweden and Finland have installed bans or strict restrictions.
This story will attempt to gather some facts and observations about the growing legislative pushes against transgenderism (especially as it pertains to minors), address what American liberals and American conservatives have had to say about the subject, and what biblical principles should shape Christians' views on transgenderism.
Facts and observations about transgenderism and legislation about childhood gender reassignment
- According to a definition from the American Psychological Association, “Transgender is an umbrella term for persons whose identity, gender expression, or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth.”
- Built within that definition is unbiblical bias, including the language of "assigned at birth" and the unnecessary separation of gender and biological sex. That same bias has seen proponents of gender reassignment surgery and hormone manipulation to call the practices "gender-affirming care."
- The label "trans" can include those who dress, identify, feel like, or behave as the opposite gender and/or those who have taken medical measures to attempt physical and biological change.
- "Gender fluid" (ever-changing gender) and "non-binary" (not conforming to either gender) fall under the umbrella of transgenderism.
- Though somewhat disputed, the widely accepted first American to undergo gender reassignment surgery was George William Jorgensen Jr., who changed his name to Christine after having surgeries to live life as a woman.
- Jorgensen's procedures were handled in Denmark, as they were not available in the United States at the time. He began taking part in various hormone therapies and taking estrogen before the surgery.
- Several individuals from other countries underwent similar operations before Jorgensen.
- As of February 2026, 27 states in America have outright bans or heavy restrictions against gender reassignment surgeries and hormonal manipulation for youth. 26 of those 27 ban both. Two of those 27 states (Arkansas and Montana) remain in court battles over recent legislation that has established or increased their bans and restrictions. Six of those 27 states (South Carolina, Idaho, North Dakota, Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma) have bans in place that make providing what proponents would call "gender-affirming care" a felony crime.
- According to a study from UCLA, nearly 750,000 children between the ages of 13 and 17 identify as "trans," though over half of them live in states that prevent them from attempting to change their genders medically.
- A growing number of states (now up to at least 29) ban trans-identifying youth from participating in sports outside of their true gender, meaning that biological males must play boys' sports, and biological females must play girls' sports. Some exceptions exist that allow girls to play boys' sports but not the inverse.
- There is a direct correlation between identifying as transgender and mental unwellness.
- According to a report from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation (GLAAD) based on research from the US Trans Survey, about 40% of people who identify as "trans" (including both those who have taken steps to alter their genders and those who have not) have seriously contemplated suicide. That is much higher than the 4.6% number for the entire population.
- The American Journal of Public Health has concluded that trans individuals are more than twice as likely to feel "frequent mental distress" as the rest of the population.
- The Journal of the American Health Association argues that trans individuals are nearly six times more likely to be depressed and nearly eight times more likely to fall into substance abuse.
What the Left says about transgenderism and legislation about childhood gender reassignment
The Left in America has largely supported the notion that individuals, regardless of age, should have the ability to use modern medicine to alter their genders, both with surgeries and hormone manipulation. There is no consensus, however, as a minority of Democrats in the United States believe in some restrictions, especially regarding age. As a whole, the liberal position on this issue is an un-Christian position.
- In a broader discussion on transgender ideology that shifted to the debate surrounding bathroom usage, former President Joe Biden argued against states having the right to ban or restrict anything in the realm of transgenderism, regardless of a person's age. "I don’t think any state or anybody should have the right to do that—as a moral question and as a legal question. I just think it’s wrong," Biden said. "I feel very, very strongly that you should have every single solitary right, including use of your gender identity bathrooms when public."
- For the most part, liberals have fought to increase the amount of "education" and exposure of transgender issues for youth in the United States. Democrats argue that representation and exposure foster empathy.
- In a party-wide release, the Democratic Party in America has said that this conversation is one of healthcare and human rights, arguing "healthcare is a human right" and that individuals, parents of minors, and doctors should be the only ones with a say in whether or not a person can change their gender.
- Connecticut Senator Ceci Maher called it "cruel" and an "attack" to withhold full medical and insurance coverage for those wishing to undergo hormone manipulation or gender-altering procedures.
- Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey has even gone as far as to argue against any restrictions, including commonly held beliefs that those receiving any artificial hormones should be withheld from military service.
- Contrastingly, Stephanie Winn, an Oregon-based child and family therapist, has argued that trans-supporters should be more willing to restrict medical intervention for trans youth, citing the "lifelong, irreversible" nature of surgeries, puberty blockers, and artificial hormone infusion.
- Despite some medical entities disagreeing with the findings, liberal politicians often cite other medical entities' support of transgenderism as proof that the practice is safe for all ages.
What the Right says about transgenderism and legislation about childhood gender reassignment
Republican politicians in America are almost unanimously opposed to transgenderism, as a whole, and even further against medical intervention as it pertains to minors. Outside of extreme instances of inciting real hatred, the conservative position on transgenderism is much more closely aligned with the Christian position.
- President Donald Trump has signed at least seven executive orders that have included some form of restriction against transgender medical intervention (or those who provide it) or restriction against preferential treatment for those identifying as trans. He has referred to transgenderism as "left-wing insanity" and has called it "chemical, physical, and emotional mutilation."
- Generally speaking, conservatives have fought to decrease the amount of "education" on transgender issues as a means of lessening the exposure and sexualization of youth. Republicans argue that keeping exposure levels high encourages indoctrination.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has criticized the way Democrats have changed the language surrounding transgenderism to make it more palatable: "You can’t use euphemisms on this stuff,” he said. “If you have a minor child, you should not be doing sex-change operations. You should not be doing puberty blockers. That is wrong, and we’re glad that we put a stop to that in the state of Florida."
- Some conservatives, such as Texas Governor Greg Abbot and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, have called medical intervention for trans children "child abuse."
- These sentiments are virtually unanimous across the Republican Party.
What the Bible says
Though the term "transgender" is a modern construct, Scripture has some clear insights into today's hot-button topic. There are biblical principles that should help shape Christians' views on sexuality, gender, and the value of the Imago Dei. The Word of God also speaks about the importance of protecting children.
Transgenderism is wicked and an example of a bodily rejection of God's created order and the Imago Dei.
According to God's Word, the human body is important.
The Lord created mankind in His image, in a way that is different and better than any other part of his creation. In fact, in the creation narrative of Genesis 1, only the creation of man was labeled as "very good," while plants, animals, and other created things were "good."
When God the Son came to Earth (called the Incarnation), Scripture says that He "became flesh" (John 1:14) and that He had taken on the form of "the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7). This was not Jesus copying His creation; rather, this was the physical manifestation of His body demonstrating one manner in which He previously created man in His own image.
For those who are in Christ, God's salvation includes a restorative work of the body, one that results in a redeemed version in Heaven (1 Corinthians 15).
But before that, in this earthly life, Christians' bodies are called "temples," and God's people are commanded to glorify God with their bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
As part of glorifying the Lord with the body, believers must care for it. Just as making efforts to eat well, sleep, exercise, drink water, and avoid overly dangerous indulgences are instrumental to taking care of the body, so is a person using his/her body the way God designed it. Altering the body with unnatural hormones or mutilating surgery is, objectively, dangerous to one's health. (You can read some more about the risks here.)
The differences between the sexes were God's design. This includes every aspect of the body, plus the mind and the heart. Men, at least in some capacity, are made to use their bodies for physical labor (Genesis 2), to provide for (1 Timothy 5:8) and protecting the family (Nehemiah 4:14), and to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth" (Genesis 1:28). Women, at least in some capacity, are made to use their bodies to nurture (1 Thessalonians 2:7), to look after their homes and families (Proverbs 31), and to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28). Men and women are certainly not limited to these things, but their bodies still showcase God's creative design in these ways.
The Bible is clear on sexuality and gender.
God's Word establishes gender very early. In the creation narrative in Genesis 1:27, Moses writes, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." That same thought is reiterated in Genesis 2:21-22 when he wrote, "So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept, took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man He made into a woman and brought her to the man." Marriage between one man and one woman is also established shortly thereafter (Genesis 2:24) and demonstrated throughout Scripture (Ephesians 5:22-27, Matthew 19:4-6, Colossians 3:18, 1 Peter 3:7).
It is clear that He has a particular plan for each person's place in the world. That includes their gender. Though men and women were created equal, they do not have the same roles in society, families, or the Church. To go against that is to go against God's design.
Taking certain hormones or having surgery does not change a person's gender because it does not change the purpose for which they were made. Instead, it damages and mutilates a body and mind that the Lord created with intentionality.
The Bible is clear in Jeremiah 1:5 that the Lord "formed" and "knew" the prophet while he was in his mother's womb.
In Psalm 139:13-14, David says that God "knitted me together in my mother's womb" and that the Lord's work in gestational design makes a person "fearfully and wonderfully made."
Understanding that God's creative work of reproduction starts far sooner than birth is critical in this discussion, especially when combined with the biblical truth that the Lord does not make mistakes.
God's way is described as "perfect" in Psalm 18:30, Matthew 5:48, and Deuteronomy 32:4. His work is called "higher" in Isaiah 55:8-9, "true" in Proverbs 30:5, "light...no darkness" in 1 John 1:5, and "unchangeable" in Hebrews 6:17. In other words, what He does—including His work in bringing life into the world—is done intentionally and without mistake. For a person to argue that they were made incorrectly is blasphemous, as it directly accuses God of doing something wrong, either operationally or morally.
Transgenderism might be new, but confusion and rebellion in this sphere are not.
The idea of modern transgenderism is relatively new; however, "smaller" examples of the idea have been present for some time.
Though Deuteronomy 22:5 ("A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God") was part of the ceremonial law and, therefore, without a complete and direct application today, its prohibition against men dressing like women and women dressing like men does hold some merit, particularly because the command was given to differentiate God's people from the pagan world. Perhaps the most appropriate modern application of this verse is one of understanding and abiding by gender roles. The verse also shows that gender-bending behavior is not a modern phenomenon, but one that the lost world dabbled in even thousands of years ago. Similar sexual perversions are detailed in the New Testament to describe those in the Greco-Roman world.
Ironically, the transgender movement actually supports the existence of gender roles and appearances. When a person "transitions" from male to female, they typically alter their genitals, shave body hair, wear women's clothing, speak with a higher voice, etc. When a person "transitions" from female to male, they alter their genitals, wear men's clothing, use hormones to grow facial hair, and speak with a lower voice. This is because there are undeniable realities about gender. Even in rebellion against God and their own bodies, transgender individuals cannot escape the truth.
Children are to be protected, both from themselves and from the evils of the world.
As the transgender issue regards youth, God's Word informs His people of the importance of protecting children from the evils of the world.
Matthew 18:6 shows Jesus' warning against leading children to any form of sin. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea," He said to His disciples.
In Psalm 127:3, the Psalmist (likely either Solomon or his father, David) states, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward," indicating that children must be treated with appropriate levels of care.
Confusion surrounding one's gender, typically called "gender dysphoria," is real and something that should be handled with compassion and sympathy. Even so, Christians must not compromise what is true simply because the rest of the world has done so. Romans 12: 2 includes the command, "Do not be conformed to this world," and John writes in 1 John 2:15 that to do so is proof that "the love of the Father is not in" a person. Confusion of identity is even more common among young people, and the Church should take serious measures in fighting against it.
All sexual deviancy is evil, no matter how it makes someone feel.
Though transgenderism differs from other forms of sexual immorality, it is important to note that the Bible clearly states all sexual deviancy is sinful. Below are some examples from Scripture.
1 Corinthians 6:18- "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body."
Hebrews 13:4- "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5- "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God."
Ephesians 5:3- "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints."
Final verdict
Transgenderism, at its core, is a covetous (Exodus 20:17) rejection of the Lord's design for gender. When a person attempts to alter their God-given biology, they are mutilating the body that He created for them.
Despite the objections of the worldly, there is nothing harmless about transgenderism, as the resulting changes from surgery or hormone-manipulating medication are permanent and damaging to a person meant to live as their biological sex. There are legitimate health risks (both physical and mental) caused by these wicked bodily changes.
Children are particularly vulnerable to worldly influence, and as such, the younger generations have a higher demographic of trans-identifying individuals. Legislation against gender-altering "medical treatment" may not come from a Christian source, as the governments involved are far from God-honoring in many ways. However, it is nothing short of a good thing that new laws will protect some children from making irreversible decisions about their bodies.
Frankly, Christians should pray that more governments follow suit.
