Transgender Boy Commits Suicuide

[GStorrs46]

   Recently a teenage boy named Joshua committed suicide. In the suicide note he left behind he

said in essence that his "Christian " family who could not accept his "transgender identity" and in

essence forced him to live in denial. He claimed that by committing suicide he desired to bring this

issue out into the open, for he could not live like this, and for the benefit of all other "transgender" individuals.

   As a result the news media picked it up, and it went from a local story ( the boy attended the same

school as I did, Kings Mills High ), and it has been in the national news. The family has as a result

been painted as unfeeling monsters. Tonight on our local news a person who has known the family

for many years felt compelled to come forward and defend their general character.

    How many of you have has to deal with this story in field service ? What have you had to say in

reasoning o this subject ? My nurse said she was appalled at the thought of her son possibly making

such a claim. I imagine most parents would feel the same. I tried to approach it from the standpoint

that perhaps some such may have a hormone imbalance, such as too much estrogen. But since this

has locally become somewhat of a firestorm topic, I would appreciate the input of any of you friends.

 

                                                                                                                                 GStorrs46

 

                                                                                                                               GStorrs46

[Stavro]

While we cannot defend anyone's choice to act on any unscriptural desires they may have, many parents tend to seek help only from "christian" therapists who make threats of hellfire rather than providing reasonable counsel, some religions actively tell parents to "beat the gay away", and some will even send kids to re-education camps prisons to brainwash them into following some extremist religious belief.

 

I've never known anyone who attempted or committed murder/suicide based on a peaceful disagreement, there's virtually always something far deeper going on. That's not to say this person couldn't have had a deep suicidal depression stemming from a chemical imbalance, but I think it's too early to even speculate about where to place the blame. (The obviously-biased media gives lots and lots of commentary with almost no facts.)

 

 

As far as the ministry is concerned, whether this is always hormonal, always an intentional choice, or somewhere in between, I'll leave that to the doctors to figure out. But it's nearly always accepted as something that could be corrected in some way, so that gives us the common ground to discuss the future hope. In my experience this approach tends to work well with both pro and anti-transgender people, since the pro-transgender ones tend to interpret the imperfection to be physical ("born in the wrong body"), and the anti-transgender ones tend to think the imperfection is mental ("choosing to be gay").

[well]

As far as the ministry is concerned, whether this is always hormonal, always an intentional choice, or somewhere in between, I'll leave that to the doctors to figure out. But it's nearly always accepted as something that could be corrected in some way, so that gives us the common ground to discuss the future hope. In my experience this approach tends to work well with both pro and anti-transgender people, since the pro-transgender ones tend to interpret the imperfection to be physical ("born in the wrong body"), and the anti-transgender ones tend to think the imperfection is mental ("choosing to be gay").

 

I agree to leave that discussion about hormonal or intentional to doctors... What I am interested in, how do you tell that in can be corrected in some way and about the future hope...

[cricket246]

The young people ask book actually addresses this topic very well - I remember it said that just because a person feels attracted to the same gender doesn't actually make a person gay/homosexual. Youths are at a time in their live when hormones, emotions and thoughts can get confused, be easily influenced by others and perhaps the person is even raised to believe it's an okay choice of lifestyle. There are many factors.

 

I have always tried to treat people the way I want to treated, regardless of their gender preference. We don't agree but that doesn't mean I'm homophobic, I just choose to live by God's standards rather than the worlds.

[Stavro]

I agree to leave that discussion about hormonal or intentional to doctors... What I am interested in, how do you tell that in can be corrected in some way and about the future hope...

 

Regardless of the side, everyone believes that it's an imperfection. Some choose to have "corrective surgery" to change the flesh, some choose therapy to change the mind. But the Bible shows that imperfection was inherited through Adam, and perfection will be regained in the new world.

 

Whatever the individual views as "perfection", whether a body changed to match the mind or a mind changed to match their body, it gives them hope for an end to their struggle with their gender identity. Some end that struggle even within this system as the truth reshapes their lives. But the key point to get across is that we don't force them to change into something they don't want to be, we catch their interest with a positive hope, and let Jehovah's spirit lead them the rest of the way to a happy life.

[Shawnster]

The young people ask book actually addresses this topic very well - I remember it said that just because a person feels attracted to the same gender doesn't actually make a person gay/homosexual. Youths are at a time in their live when hormones, emotions and thoughts can get confused, be easily influenced by others and perhaps the person is even raised to believe it's an okay choice of lifestyle. There are many factors.

 

I have always tried to treat people the way I want to treated, regardless of their gender preference. We don't agree but that doesn't mean I'm homophobic, I just choose to live by God's standards rather than the worlds.

Transgender is a bit  more complex than simple homosexuality.  A homosexual man thinks of himself as a man and a homosexual woman thinks of herself as a woman.  A transgender, however feels that they are not the gender that their genitalia indicates they are.  A transgender with male genitals feels they are female and vice versa.  Transgender is more about self-identity than sexual orientation.

 

I wonder how much our culture's obsession with sex and sexuality plays upon these individuals.  We live in such a sexualized society that it affects everyone.  Grade school kids have "boyfriends" and "girlfriends."  12-year-olds are giving birth.  7-year-olds are painted up put on display in pageants.  It's a sex-crazed world and I can't help but think this heightens the sexual orientation and sexual identity issues.

[MizPeg]

Transgender is a bit  more complex than simple homosexuality.  A homosexual man thinks of himself as a man and a homosexual woman thinks of herself as a woman.  A transgender, however feels that they are not the gender that their genitalia indicates they are.  A transgender with male genitals feels they are female and vice versa.  Transgender is more about self-identity than sexual orientation.

 

I wonder how much our culture's obsession with sex and sexuality plays upon these individuals.  We live in such a sexualized society that it affects everyone.  Grade school kids have "boyfriends" and "girlfriends."  12-year-olds are giving birth.  7-year-olds are painted up put on display in pageants.  It's a sex-crazed world and I can't help but think this heightens the sexual orientation and sexual identity issues.

A rather large part of that situation is brought on by the world"s view of sexuality. With young ones, it's so easy to imprint their mind, and those children who ren't in a stable envirement are more susceptible to the world's way of viewing what is "right or wrong". We have a saying in our family, speaking of teaching kids. "Monkey see, monkey do!. Monkey hear, monkey repeat".

[rocket]

Jehovah loves all people and Christ died for all. As strange as it may seem, even those who have undergone the knife and had the sex reassignment surgery can still become one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah through his son will fix all the mental disease and physical problems. I feel for them as well as those who are born with both sex organs. It must be a terrible tribulation of the flesh.

[GStorrs46]

    I appreciate the thoughts of all of you friends. Just to clarify my own comments somewhat. Since I;m Bi-Polar, it's somewhat natural for me for me to think in the terms of a hormonal, or chemical imbalance as being involved in individuals who exhibit un-normal

feelings or desires. Of course, I clearly recognize that is not the sole source of such ideas. As mentioned, it could be from "friends"

they have associated with. Ideas they have picked up from the Internet. Or any number of other factors.

   Also I am glad Natasha brought out about how the "Young People Ask " deals with fighting feelings of being gay. And I agree

that this would apply here. I even thought of the same thing myself. Part of the reason I put this up on the forum for discussion was

I saw how quickly this went from just a local story to a national one and knowing at least part of the basis for the local story and

knowing many of these people and their thinking, I was somewhat amazed at the lack of any sympathy for the parents. It reminded

me of stories involving witnesses too, and the press reactions to some of our stands. Also, in view of the great publicity this was

given, and even therapy departments were set up at our local hospitals to handle all the calls coming in by concerned individuals

I thought this should be a topic we too should give thoughtful consideration to answer. For while it may not be a current topic in your area, doubtless Satan will make sure that this and other controversial topics come more and more to the for. Of course he does

this always to slander Jehovah's standards. Recognizing this, it gives us time now to prepare a response.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                GStorr46