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The Truth About Transgenderism (Part 2)
By Lisa*
In the book When Harry Became Sally, Ryan Anderson explains that when researchers followed people who had sex reassignment surgery over 30 years in Sweden (a culture that is strongly supportive of transgendered people), they found that those who had had the surgery still struggled with severe mental unrest. The suicide rate of those who underwent surgery rose to 20 times that of their comparable peers. He concluded that transitioning to the opposite gender does not produce the happiness people seek. Perhaps this is because their problems go much deeper.
More than 100 follow-up studies of post-operative transsexuals were done by the University of Birmingham. It was concluded that none of those studies provided evidence that gender reassignment is beneficial. The Obama administration came to the same conclusion in 2016. An Obama Centers for Medicare and Medicaid study pointed out a 19 times greater likelihood of death by suicide in individuals who underwent sex reassignment surgery. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services concluded that, based on a thorough review of clinical studies, there was not enough evidence to show that sex reassignment surgery benefitted its patients at all. This is why insurance hasn’t covered it . . . up until now.
Consequences of Sex Reassignments
Telling a gender-confused person they should transition is like telling a bulimic, “Yeah, I know you’re only 80 pounds and wasting away, but since you still think you’re fat, I guess letting you get gastric bypass surgery couldn’t hurt if it will help you feel more thin.”
Jamie Shupe, the first person to obtain a “non-binary” sex classification in America, has a lot to say about the evils of trans medicine. After participating in it for six years, he says it left him with an “eternally scarred psyche” and a host of health issues. Convinced he was a woman during a mental health crisis in 2013, Jamie’s therapist recommended he start on estrogen and testosterone blockers. Jamie says, “I believed that wearing a long wig, dresses, heels, and makeup would make me a woman. The best thing that could have happened would have been for someone to order intensive therapy that would have protected me from my inclination to cross-dress. Instead, quacks in the medical community said, ‘Your gender identity is female.’”
When Jamie began the process of transitioning, doctors and therapists told him he’d soon experience a positive boost in mental health. “It was just the opposite,” he says. “It destabilized my mental health because I was living in a false reality. I was fighting my body . . . . I perfectly understand why this kills people and why there’s such high suicide rate . . . . It’s the program itself that’s killing us.”
Jamie later de-transitioned and currently speaks out against trans medicine. He now admits, “All of my sexual confusion was in my head. I should have been treated. Instead, at every step, doctors, judges, and advocacy groups indulged my fiction . . . .”
When Jamie began the process of transitioning, doctors and therapists told him he’d soon experience a positive boost in mental health. “It was just the opposite,” he says. “It destabilized my mental health because I was living in a false reality. I was fighting my body . . . . I perfectly understand why this kills people and why there’s such high suicide rate . . . . It’s the program itself that’s killing us.”
Jamie Shupe
Much as so-called experts changed the language around addiction to absolve people of personal responsibility, the same is now being done in the trans arena. Just as it’s no longer politically correct to say a drug addict makes a choice by taking drugs (instead they have a disease), we can no longer call men who dress as women “transvestites” because it implies they have a choice as to whether or not they cross-dress. The new vocabulary demands we refer to them as transgender instead. Because if someone is “transgender,” it’s not their fault if they cross dress. They were born inside the wrong body, after all.
The field of transgender medicine will be exposed in decades to come. Top medical professionals believe we will one day look back and say, “Remember when instead of treating the root cause of a mental illness, we encouraged the person to move deeper into their delusion?” We will eventually look back at hormone treatments and sex re-assignment surgery the same way we do the lobotomies of yesteryear.
Promotion of Gender Stereotypes
But until that day we have a wave of men seeking to become women and vice versa even though there is no possible way a man can ever know what it’s actually like to be a woman. This is why feminist icons like Germaine Greer are finally speaking out against transgender ideology. Transgenderism reinforces everything they’ve spent their entire lives fighting against. It promotes old, outdated gender stereotypes (being a woman means putting on a skirt and heels). A group of radical feminists recently had their Twitter accounts suspended for promoting “transphobia” because they were tweeting things like “A man cannot be a woman.” This kind of talk is now considered hate speech in our country.
We will see more and more of this censorship in the coming years (for example, soccer player Jaelene Hinkle, who wasn’t allowed to play on the U.S. team in the World Cup simply because she refused to wear an LGBTQ pride jersey).
Our society does not have an issue with a man whose temperament is more “feminine.” Being sensitive, intuitive, nurturing, caring, artistic, and gentle even though you are biologically male are considered good qualities to most women. I myself have been accused of having many “masculine” qualities throughout my life. I am direct, confident, and unafraid of confrontation. I’d rather watch football than attend a baby shower any day. I majored in criminal justice. I worked with gangs in Chicago. Nothing about my personal interests or life experiences is considered classically “feminine.” But just because a person has qualities traditionally observed in the opposite gender does not mean they should become that gender.
No empowered female would ever accept transgender ideology in any form. It’s an insult to women the world over to suggest that because someone puts on a skirt and wedges, it automatically makes him a woman. We women are not our clothes or shoes. We are not our hair or makeup. Any real woman knows this. Outer beauty has nothing to do with being female. For my brother to think that putting on a dress, wig, and makeup somehow makes him the same as me is perhaps the greatest insult of all time. He has spent 36 years of his life as a man. He knows nothing of what it’s like to be an American female in the 21st century. And he never will.
A group of radical feminists recently had their Twitter accounts suspended for promoting “transphobia” because they were tweeting things like “A man cannot be a woman.” This kind of talk is now considered hate speech in our country.
As I mentioned before, therapists historically viewed cross-dressing as a compulsion to ease anxiety, which is easy enough to understand. People do all kinds of things to ease anxiety. They drink. They eat too much sugar. They waste money on lottery tickets. They smoke weed. They self-harm. But any healthy person knows we should never take a compulsion that’s used to ease deeper pain and start celebrating it as our identity.
Now girls as young as three who like sports and trucks are being told by doctors (and celebrity moms like Charlize Theron) that they are a boy trapped in a girl’s body. They are then put on powerful, reproductive-ending hormones to stop the onset of puberty. Teenagers are having mutilating surgeries simply because they’re into things that are traditionally associated with the opposite gender. Yet gender non-conformity is the very thing scores of people fought against for decades. Girls should be able to do anything boys can do this day and age and vice versa. But now we have trans men smashing records in one girl’s athletic category after another.
Where Are the People of Faith?
And where are the so-called “people of faith” in this madness? Running scared. We don’t want to be labeled ignorant. We don’t want to be called bigots. We know that being deemed “transphobic” can quickly snowball into other adjectives like misogynist or racist.
The message from the Christian community regarding LGBTQ issues seems to be this: we just need to show Christ’s love to everyone by accepting them exactly as they are. And it’s true. Everyone has something they’re struggling with, and no one is exempt. But no one should ever be loved as they are and then left that way. Hence Christ’s final words to the woman at the well: “Go and sin no more.”
If love means supporting someone’s endeavors no matter what they are, shouldn’t we all drive our alcoholic friends to the bar tonight? Real love means speaking the truth, even when it’s not culturally cool.
And though I should not have to spell this out, I will nonetheless. Simply disagreeing with someone on an issue does not mean you are scared of or dislike all people who are on the other side of the issue. I believe transgenderism is wrong. That doesn’t make me transphobic. I believe the greatest victims of transgender ideology are the people who’ve been given the transgender label themselves.
Calling everyone who doesn’t support LGBTQ rights “transphobic” or “homophobic” is insanely ignorant. Trans people should never be made fun of or bullied in any way. They are already dealing with enough as it is; they need our help.
My brother will say that gender is just a tiny part of who he is. But for him to think that he will “still be himself” even if he is a woman is nonsense. He will no longer be a man named Josh. He will be a false caricature of a person who’s requesting that everyone around him deny reality by telling him he’s something he’s not. Of course he’ll retain his personality, his same likes and dislikes. But to say that one’s gender doesn’t ultimately matter in the grand scheme of things shows how deep the confusion goes. I wouldn’t have married my husband if he weren’t male. And as a married woman, I wouldn’t be going out to lunch alone with my girlfriends if they weren’t female.
Despite what my brother and sister-in-law would have everyone believe, the truth is this: gender matters. As the Pope said recently: “Gender is sacred.” Top bishops and cardinals have unequivocally stated that the transgender movement is demonic.
Any good branding expert knows that organizations choose their logos with much thought and care. So yes, there is a reason that the Church of Satan chose Baphomet (the half-male/half-female goat) to be its logo. The goat reminds us that supposedly we are the ultimate decision makers in our life here on earth. We are the designers of our destiny. And while God’s desires for us (like biological sex) are all good, in the end it’s the true self whose desires we must follow. Did God really say, “You have to be male”?
It’s a tale as old as time.
*The author of this true account, a wife and mother, wishes to remain anonymous. Names in this account have been changed.
Living and serving in a foreign land involves adjusting to new cultures, languages, and realities. Over my thirty years as a missionary, I’ve faced these challenges in multiple countries and languages. Yet, none of my experiences could have prepared me for the realities of war—its impact on life, ministry, and faith.
I had lived in Ukraine full time for thirteen years when the initial invasion occurred in 2014. The conflict was terrifying but distant from me; over time, I learned to navigate the stress of the threat of violence and the uncertainty that seemed to linger everywhere. But everything changed on February 23, 2022, with the full-scale invasion. Ukraine entered a dark chapter with an unknowable future, and so did I.
… everything changed on February 23, 2022, with the full-scale invasion. Ukraine entered a dark chapter with an unknowable future, and so did I
I spent the first few months of war in the United States. While physically “safe,” my heart remained with Ukraine. I wanted to be with the INSTE community, neighbors, and other loved ones who had become my family, not just because of my love and concern for them but because there is power in presence; there is a powerful ministry of simply being with others in their suffering. Just as God promises in Psalm 91:15 (NIV), “I will be with him in trouble,” I felt compelled to personify that presence for Ukrainians.
Returning to Ukraine in October 2022 meant facing new unsettling realities. Air raid sirens, missile strikes, and weaponized drones are part of daily life. Psalm 91:5 promises, “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,” yet living this truth is challenging. In 2024, attack drones or missiles filled Ukrainian skies every single day and night. Fear is a natural response to danger, yet courage is trusting God despite fear. For me, each step forward, even with a lump in my throat, is an act of faith.
Psalm 91’s promise that God is “with us in trouble” anchors me, helping reconcile the tension between “not fearing” and “doing things afraid.” Fear doesn’t disqualify us from obedience; it’s often the very place where we find God’s will and experience His presence in profound ways.
My main ministry has always been equipping leaders through INSTE Global Bible College, but my focus has shifted during the war. In this season the Lord has allowed me to minister to humanitarian needs of Ukrainians with the help of Open Bible sponsors and a wide network of friends and ministry partners. For independent teen orphans, we’ve provided power banks and lamps for long nights without electricity.
Other times, we’ve purchased medicine for sick neighbors and helped seniors pay for medical procedures. For those along the frontlines, we’ve sent financial aid, clothing, and prayers. We have also translated, printed, and distributed thousands of booklets that teach how to deal with PTSD.
While others deliver large-scale humanitarian aid, my role is one of smaller, personal acts of kindness. In the market, I look for “Holy Spirit nudges” and find struggling grandmothers to bless with money for food, blessing them and reminding them that God sees their need. Each of these actions, though small, serves as a tangible reminder of God’s love and light in dark times.
The human cost of war is staggering. Food insecurity, disrupted education systems, and loss of electricity are all daily problems. Families have been displaced and torn apart, some with children attending school in other countries, others with family members on the frontlines, missing in action, prisoners of war, or buried in a grave. Communities have been shattered and the trajectory of so many lives forever altered. Over the years we have had thousands of INSTE students throughout Ukraine; many of their lives have been dramatically changed by this war.
I witness incredible resilience in the defenders who are outnumbered and outgunned on the front lines, the mothers holding families together, and the children navigating unimaginable loss
Despite this, I witness incredible resilience in the defenders who are outnumbered and outgunned on the front lines, the mothers holding families together, and the children navigating unimaginable loss, including a normal childhood. Their resilience reflects the truth that God has not abandoned them. In their stories, I see glimmers of hope – reminders that even in the darkest times, Light shines. Their resilience inspires me.
It has been difficult to deal with the capture of my godson, Max, a nineteen-year-old soldier, by enemy forces. The pain of not knowing his fate is immense. We pray for his soul. Every Ukrainian has their “Max,” someone whose unknown future brings unbearable heartache.
As I reflect on these years of war, I’m reminded of how deeply it has reshaped my life, my understanding of compassion, and my faith. War has tested me in ways I never expected, but it has also deepened my faith.
Psalm 91 continues to be a comfort: not a promise of an easy way, but of God’s presence. It is in His refuge that I find strength to minister and to believe for His promises. And it is there, even in wartime, that I have found God’s refuge.
About the Author
Tammy Swailes
Tammy Swailes is passionate about cross-cultural Christian education, so working with INSTE Bible College to disciple and equip leaders throughout Europe and beyond is a great fit! Tammy has lived in Europe since 1999 – first in Hungary and now Ukraine. Before that, she was in Japan, as well as Spokane, Washington. She now serves as INSTE regional director in Europe, assisting INSTE programs in five languages. Tammy has her undergraduate degrees in both Missions and Christian Education, and a MA in Intercultural Studies. Photography, good coffee, multi-cultural experiences, and the family’s Yorkie are some of Tammy’s favorite things.
The diaspora of the Tai Dam refugees in 1975 to Des Moines, Iowa, fueled a first generation of Tai Dam Americans adapting to new ways of life, blending language, culture, and embracing the numerous opportunities in the US. I was part of that first generation. Three years after my parents’ settlement in Iowa, I was born and became the first in my family to acquire an American education and step into a church. We were blessed to have Christian sponsors who helped us transition from our homeland to America.
Every Sunday, our sponsors would take me, my sister, and several of my cousins to church service at the First Church of the Open Bible. Naomi Young was one of the many people who was significant in my life; she gave me my first Bible. Through the faithfulness of Naomi and others at the church, seeds of faith were planted as I was told about a man named Jesus who died on the cross for me. I was curious, but I did not understand and did not accept Him into my life at that time. Attending church was short-lived, coming to a halt when I was eight years old. The seed that was planted in me could not grow because it was never nourished with Truth at home. My parents and grandmother believed and practiced animism and ancestral worship, which is the veneration and honoring of the dead. Confusion infiltrated my mind, and my desire to attend church ceased. While I abandoned everything that was taught to me in Sunday school, I always kept my Bible in a special place underneath my pillow because something in my heart could not throw it away.
The seed that was planted in me could not grow because it was never nourished with Truth at home.
When I was twenty-two years old, my cousin took me to a Buddhist temple to have my fortune read. There, sitting in front of me, were three monks. One monk opened his notebook, wrote in it, then read to me my childhood, present life, and future life story up to the time I would turn thirty years old. He then shut his notebook and told me, “I am done.” When I asked him, “Why?” he told me only, “I cannot read you anymore.” That same week I went to a card reader and had my fortune read. Again, he read my childhood, present life, and up to the age I would be thirty, then stopped. I told him, “You are the second person that could not read me past thirty; tell me – do I die?” He quickly gathered his cards, saying only, “I cannot tell you.”
Throughout my adult life in my twenties, I was in an unhealthy, abusive relationship, which led to an alcohol addiction. When I was twenty-six, I became pregnant and had my daughter, Kaylee, on January 31, 2005. God was already working in my life, and I did not know it; He was molding me and reminding me of who He was through the darkest moments of my life. Around that time, I came upon a childhood friend who worked as a cashier at Hy-Vee; she would tell me, “Soukham, God is so good.” Though I resisted, the words she spoke over me resonated in my heart. Not long after, I found myself attending her funeral. Worship and praise were included in the Christian service. I was confused, but a part of me had the desire to know more about the God they said was so good and how through Him there would be no more pain and suffering. When I left the funeral, the Lord continued to reveal Himself to me through divine encounters. In July of 2008, I took a position at Nationwide Insurance where I reconnected with an old high school friend. She invited me to a Thanksgiving potluck at her church, and my walk with the Lord began soon after.
From the Tai Dam little girl who was born in America and met Jesus in an Iowan church, to the woman who is now taking the hope of Christ back to Southeast Asia, His hand has been in every chapter of my story.
I was thirty years old when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. The verse that will remain with me forever is 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (NIV).
Now I understand why the monk and card reader could not read my life past the age of thirty. At that age, I became a new creation because of Jesus Christ, and the enemy no longer had a hold on me! Jesus continued to bless me and my daughter. Amid my pain and struggles, God brought a man into my life, my husband Othone (Pong), who became a father to Kaylee. We got married on September 15, 2010. Together the Lord blessed us with two more children, Isaac and Silas. In 2017, the Lord called us to serve in Iowa at Kingdom Life Church (now Kingdom City Church).
In November 2021, the Lord instilled in Pong’s heart a dream to build a charitable foundation to address needs in the vulnerable communities of Southeast Asia. The foundation would have a Christ-centered vision: to make and equip future disciples, providing them with sustainable resources and empowering them to advance beyond their current situation. Through continuous prayer and the Lord’s guidance, the foundation was born in April 2023 and officially named Nations in Need (NIN). Recently in 2023 and 2024, the Lord took Pong, Kaylee, and three of our brothers, Ap, Peng, and Bay, on trips to Southeast Asia where they built relationships, served the communities, ministered to the people, and spread the good news about Jesus Christ. Today, NIN has branched into multiple communities in Southeast Asia. Through the work of a future center in Southeast Asia, we will expand NIN’s mission and go wherever the Lord leads.
Throughout my whole life God has carried me, even when I didn’t know it. From the Tai Dam little girl who was born in America and met Jesus in an Iowan church, to the woman who is now taking the hope of Christ back to Southeast Asia, His hand has been in every chapter of my story. Whether the next chapter is in America, Southeast Asia, or somewhere else, I will follow Christ, forever His new creation.
About the Author
Soukham Khanthavixay
Soukham Khanthavixay and her husband, Pong, are active members of Kingdom City Church in Des Moines, Iowa. They reside in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, with their three children and two dogs. Soukham is a registered nurse at a local county hospital and also works for Nations in Need (NIN), the ministry her husband founded. Her family and ministry team work together to expand the mission of NIN and spread the gospel. To learn more about Nations in Need, follow them on Facebook or Instagram: @nationsinneed.
Spirit and Truth Church began as a dream amidst the stormy backdrop of January 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges that the world faced, we found ourselves thriving, anchored by the belief that God’s plans always prevail. As we say on our website, we are passionate about helping people “find freedom in the fullness” of both the Spirit and the Word. This foundational vision has carried us through times of uncertainty and propelled us forward.
Yet, for all our successes, we reached a point where we felt like we were on an island—thriving, yes, but lacking the covering, coaching, counsel, and care that every church needs to flourish long term. In 2022, at the first MOVEMENT conference, God spoke directly to my heart, telling me that Spirit and Truth Church was meant to be part of the Open Bible Church family. This call was a turning point for our ministry. In 2023, I was credentialed through Open Bible Churches, and in February of this year (2024), we became officially affiliated with Open Bible Churches’ Mountain Plains region. Since then, the blessings have been immense.
For all our successes, we reached a point where we felt like we were on an island.
Being part of Open Bible has been transformative for us. We have received so much investment, training, and support. Open Bible has helped us shore up essential aspects of our ministry: leadership, organization, staffing, budget, facilities, and more. Our growth has been remarkable—we’ve doubled in size, growing from 60 to 120 regular attendees in the past year. This growth, I believe, is a testament to both the godly covering of Open Bible and the Spirit-led outreaches we engage in. Our church has a culture of lifestyle evangelism and hospitality where all our members are witnesses and welcomers. In addition, we have forged strategic partnerships with other ministries.
One of the most exciting partnerships we have is with Every Heart Tours, a ministry led by fiery, Jesus-loving college students from Michigan. These students come to stay with us for a week at a time, engaging in outdoor worship outreaches and “prophetic treasure hunts.” If you’re unfamiliar with this term, a prophetic treasure hunt is an evangelistic practice where participants ask the Holy Spirit to reveal specific details about people they will meet, and then they go into the community to find these “treasures.” It’s a beautiful, Spirit-led adventure allowing us to partner with God and minister to people in our city in a unique way. We’ve seen so many lives touched and transformed through these treasure hunts.
What started as a small church plant in Northern Colorado has since grown into a vibrant community reflecting the heart of God for His people.
One of the most powerful testimonies from these outreaches happened this summer (2024). We had a team of prophetic ministers giving specific words to people as we worshipped in Fort Collins Old Town square. We preached the gospel boldly, and by the end of the night eleven people made the decision to be baptized! We walked down to the Poudre River and witnessed the supernatural power of God as they went under the water and came up renewed. It was a moment that felt like the early church, where “the Lord added to their number daily” (Acts 2:47 NIV).
Of course, ministry isn’t always easy. We’ve faced rejection and opposition. But we hold firm to the truth of Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” The harvest is plentiful, and we’ve seen this reality unfold before our eyes. As we continue to partner with ministries, step out in faith, and preach the gospel, we trust that God will continue to bring more people into His kingdom.
Our journey with Open Bible has been a testimony to God’s faithfulness. What started as a small church plant in Northern Colorado has since grown into a vibrant community reflecting the heart of God for His people. We remain committed to spreading the good news and making sure outreach and evangelism are at the heart of our ministry. The harvest is ready, Open Bible fam – let’s go bring it in!
About the Author
Rob Bray
Rob Bray is a marketplace and ministry leader with over a decade of experience in both business and church contexts. He is the founder and lead pastor of Spirit + Truth Church, an Open Bible Church in the Mountain Plains Region. Rob has catalyzed successful companies, grown healthy ministries, and spoken at influential conferences, workshops, and events. Rob’s expertise and passion have made him a trusted advisor and coach for leaders and entrepreneurs seeking breakthroughs in multiple areas including life, marriage, and business. Rob and his wife Bethany live on their homestead in Fort Collins, CO, with their six children: Nehemiah, Nora, Noelle, Neely, Nayla, and Nicholas. In their spare time, they enjoy hiking, paddle boarding, and snowboarding.
