Trandgender Navy Seal

[Gabriela]

I think it's largely a matter of prudence - how well you know the person and other factors.  Fortunately, I don't have to deal with "transgendered" persons on a regular basis.

 

If they've already begun the "gender reassignment" process, it probably won't be easy to convince them otherwise, and in some cases starting a confrontation with them over their "gender" would be counter-productive, unless you're really in a position to do so.

 

At that point, it's probably best to pray for them and leave the rest to God.

 

In other words: Playing along or not playing along... it's not a moral question?

[Socrates]

I think where it becomes debatable is the "therapeutic reasons" part of this Catechism quote.  

 

As for therapy for homosexuals, I think that it can be a really good thing if the therapist is Catholic.  But a lot of studies have shown that "conversion" therapy is not effective.  I think that's because the goal is to make gay people straight.  This type of therapy also originated in the Protestant churches, where you are seen as defective if you don't get married...  there's no value placed on a life of celibacy.  If you have really deep seated homosexual desires, I doubt therapy is going to make you start being attracted to the opposite sex, although I have friends who were miraculously healed from this.  It might make carrying the cross of celibacy more bearable, to have someone to listen.  Most therapists are nincompoops, though.

 

The Catechism is using "therapeutic" in the medical sense, not in the current pop-psych "feel good" sense.  In other words, it's acceptable to cut off a diseased body part in order to save the rest of the body - but not to remove or mutilate a healthy body part simply because someone really desires to do so.  Such desires are gravely disordered, and should not be indulged.

 

Interestingly, there's a psychological disorder (forget the name of it) in which people feel strongly compelled to have a perfectly healthy limb amputated (which sometimes even results in self-amputation, and such persons claim they don't feel "whole" or "their true self" until they have the limb amputated.

 

People with such disorders need help having their unhealthy and disordered desires overcome, rather than indulged.

 

 

 

Regarding "conversion therapy" to overcome homosexuality, to my knowledge there are cases in which it is successful, and some methods have been endorsed by good Catholic priests, though I'm admittedly no expert in this area.  It probably doesn't work in all instances, and is not an easy quick fix, and there are probably many methods which are bogus, in addition to the good ones.

However, it's not inherently wrong for a person to undergo a program to help him overcome disordered behavioral inclinations.

 

Deliberately mutilating healthy body parts in order to indulge one's desires, on the other hand, is objectively gravely wrong.

[Socrates]

In other words: Playing along or not playing along... it's not a moral question?

 

It would definitely be wrong to actively support their "transgender" activity or surgery, but I'm not sure whether you call them "sir" or "ma'am" has a clear-cut moral answer.  Maybe you can ask Fr. Saunders.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Socrates