Reigning Confusion

In the first chapter of the very first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis, the Scriptures speak to us about the two distinct biological sexes that God created in human beings. We can read these words:
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

The Paris Summer Olympics are now history, and while there were some incredible achievements on display by athletes at the top of their game, the controversies may have outweighed the athleticism that was presented.

As a piece at The Hill stated:

At the Olympics in Paris, two controversial individuals won gold medals in women’s boxing: Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan in the 57kg weight class and Imane Khalif of Algeria in the 66kg class.

Both of these boxers had previously been barred from competing as females by the International Boxing Association, which stands by its decisions, citing “DNA evidence.” The International Olympic Committee, however, claims that the association’s ruling was “arbitrary,” and therefore allowed Khalif and Yu-Ting to fight against women — that is, athletes with XX chromosomes — despite reports they may actually be men, who by definition have XY chromosomes.

The writer, Elizabeth Grace Matthew, goes on to call for women to absolutely boycott any sporting event that involves competing against men. She also chided those who criticized rugby star Ilona Maher, who "has been the subject of particularly hateful attacks, with a predominantly male cadre of online trash talkers questioning her sex. Why? Because compared to other women, Maher is large, fast and strong — as befits a rugby star."

Emily Washburn writes at The Daily Citizen:

In an Olympics characterized by blasphemy, forced veganism, televised domestic violence and swimming in sewage — women’s rugby sensation Ilona Maher is an undeniably wholesome highlight.

The bubbly athlete, who led the Americans to a bronze medal in Paris, is a budding social media star. Millions of people follow Maher on Instagram and TikTok for her relatable humor and positivity. She routinely uses her platform to remind women that strength and femininity aren’t mutually exclusive.

So, naturally, millions of social media users felt compelled to call her a man on X (formerly Twitter).

Washburn notes: "In reality, Maher illustrates the foundational argument against gender ideology: that sex is biological, not socially constructed."  She goes on to say:

Bullying Maher for her so-called masculine features comes straight out of the gender ideology playbook. Though gender idealogues frequently claim to transcend social constructions of sex, they rely on sex stereotypes to determine “gender identity” — what transgender activists say is “a person’s internal feeling of being male or female.”

And why wouldn’t they? After all, there’s no way a biological male can truly “feel” like a female — and vice-versa. Nor is there any way to quantify these “feelings”. Sex stereotypes, then, are the only ways these “gender identities” can be identified.

The article continues:

Maher encourages women to feel comfortable in their skin, even if they don’t fit people’s expectations of femininity. It’s a message of freedom that should be broadcast far and wide, especially to a generation of children being told that failing to adhere to sex stereotypes could mean that they were “born in the wrong body.”

We have to be so careful not to heed the lies of the enemy - and our young people are especially susceptible to these suggestions that they are not who they appear to be, compounded, as January Littlejohn said on The Meeting House program, by peer pressure. January and her husband have walked through a season in which officials at their daughter's school hid important information about gender struggles she was having.  

Society has embraced these dangerous suggestions, and high-profile officials have endorsed what has been mislabeled as "gender-affirming care."  It is gender deception that could lead to genital mutilation - permanent decisions being encouraged that can lead to lifelong misery.  And, there is data available that points to young people suffering from gender dysphoria actually outgrowing those feelings they may encounter. 

The confusion over gender has become a major issue, and the move to allow boys to participate in female athletic events is a denial of the hand of the Creator, whom we are told in Scripture makes human beings "male and female."  We must always be courageous to uphold the truth of God's Word.