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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.
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.
As we approach another election season, we find ourselves once again in an environment bringing tension, division, and uncertainty to people, including those within the Church. It is during times like this, however, that we as the Church can shine brightly. In the face of debates, advertisements, and news that may stir anxiety, we have a divine opportunity to anchor people to the unchanging hope of Christ.
The apostle Paul instructs us that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20 NIV), and as followers of Christ, our ultimate allegiance is to God and His kingdom. While politics does have its importance and influence, it is reassuring to know our hope is not based upon human leaders or systems but in the Lord who reigns over all.
In the face of debates, advertisements, and news that may stir anxiety, we have a divine opportunity to anchor people to the unchanging hope of Christ.
There is no question that, as followers of Christ, we should engage in our civic duties with a kingdom-minded perspective and a biblical worldview. We vote, we pray for our leaders, we seek the welfare of our communities (Jer. 29:7), and we engage others with love. And as we do all of this, we hold to the truth that God’s sovereignty transcends the outcomes of elections.
In times that seem unstable or fragile, God’s Word tells us “we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Heb.12:28). We serve an “unshakable kingdom.” Governments change, leaders come and go, and through it all, God’s kingdom remains. It is unshakable, eternal, and built upon His righteousness and justice. No election can alter the reality of God’s sovereignty nor shake the foundation of His authority. It is His church that holds the keys to unlock heaven on earth and bring light to the darkness.
Here is the reality we stand upon: It is God who “controls the course of world events; He removes kings and sets up other kings” (Dan. 2:21 NLT), and “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord” (Prov. 21:1 KJV).
Because of this truth, we can embrace Paul’s word to the Philippians: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7 NLT). Based on this passage, if we are a people of prayer who walk in faith, seek God’s wisdom, and are grateful, THEN we know we will experience a peace that goes beyond natural understanding. I am reminded, comforted, and convinced of this truth, and it is an anchor to my soul.
No election can alter the reality of God’s sovereignty nor shake the foundation of His authority.
This November’s election will be followed in December by the celebration of Christ’s birth. What a perfect time to remember that Jesus is Emmanuel – God with us. This name, given to Jesus, is more than just a title; it is a promise that no matter what happens around us, God’s presence is constant and unchanging.
Whether the outcome of the election brings joy or disappointment, whether policies align with your hopes or create concerns, remember Emmanuel – God is with us. He is present in our churches, in our communities, in our families, and in our lives. He is not distant or disconnected; He is personally and actively involved in the lives of His people. Whoever is elected and however people respond – God still sits on the throne, His Kingdom is unshakable, and His plans are unstoppable. GOD IS WITH US.
Some practical steps for consideration:
- Pray for our leaders, regardless of who they are: Pray for their wisdom, discernment, and a spirit of humility.
- Stay united as the body of Christ: Let a heart of unity, love, and the bond of peace be what others see.
- Keep an eternal perspective: Engage in the political process, but keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
- Live out the things that will remain: faith, hope and love.
About the Author
Michael Nortune
Michael Nortune serves as president of Open Bible Churches. He has ministered in the local church faithfully for 35 years. From his start as a janitor and groundskeeper to lead pastor of Life Church in Concord, California, Michael has had the opportunity to gain experience in every capacity within the church throughout his ministry. Not only does he have hands-on experience on the local level, but Michael has also led at the district, regional, and national levels within Open Bible Churches. Michael and his wife Julie currently reside in Colorado and love living near five of their six children and their spouses. They also treasure the time they spend with their other daughter who lives in Alabama with their first (but not the last) grandson!
Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart. All church plants require faith, but it takes a special kind of crazy to “parachute plant,” where church planters “parachute” into a new place, starting from nothing with few resources or contacts. After seven years of pouring our hearts and souls into CityLife Church, a parachute church plant in Wilmington, North Carolina, my husband Mike and I were pretty certain God was calling us to do something different. We genuinely believed God was calling us into missions. In hindsight, I guess He was – just not in the way we pictured it.
This time, our “yes” led us into what was at that time the murder capital of America.
Neither one of us had a desire to plant another church, but the thought of doing something new was exciting to us. So, towards the end of our tenure at CityLife, we let the stirring of something new brew within us even though we had no idea what was coming.
During this season, a couple of things happened that God used to speak to our hearts. The Vanartsdalens, close friends of ours at CityLife, came to us with the news that they were moving to help plant another church within Open Bible (read more about their story HERE). As we celebrated what God was doing with our friends, it reignited a feeling within us that we had forgotten. (Never underestimate how your “yes” might affect someone else’s!) That feeling was the excitement and spiritual rush that comes with church planting. Neither Mike nor I expected to feel this again, and we were surprised to find the desire in our hearts to plant another church.
Everything changed after a conversation with our Open Bible Regional Director, Nathan Hagan. When we shared our initial desire with him, he began to brainstorm some different options for us to consider. One idea jumped out to both of us: “If you guys were interested in planting another church in the region, maybe it could be someplace like New Orleans.” Nathan mentioned other places, but the only one we remembered is the one that stuck to our hearts like glue. New Orleans: the word was spoken, and the Spirit responded!
Mike and I decided early on in our marriage that whatever God called us to do, we would say yes. This time, our “yes” led us into what was at that time the murder capital of America: New Orleans, Louisiana. It is extremely hard to uproot your family and your life and move hundreds of miles away to a place where there are no family, friends, or security. Despite these challenges, we sold many of our possessions, took what we could in a truck and trailer, and headed off into the unknown!
As soon as we put boots on the ground, we quickly realized that this city, this plant, and this call would be different from anything we had ever done. Almost immediately after moving, we were met with a triple homicide four houses down from ours, I was violently robbed at gunpoint, and our kids had a gun pulled on them while playing outside in our neighborhood. We faced circumstances that most people assumed we would run from, but when you know the Lord has called you to a land, you must trust that He will protect and prosper you in that land. Suffering is part of the calling; if we aren’t willing to suffer for the calling, we won’t partake of its full blessing. “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13).
To rewind just a bit, when we knew for sure that we were moving, Mike sat our kids down and had them help compile a dream/prayer list of people we’d love to have on our team. Some on the list were Spirit-led, some were hopefuls, but all of them were people we thought might be crazy enough to consider moving with us!
Back before we’d moved to North Carolina for our first church plant, we had told our friends Greg and Tina that we felt they were supposed to come with us. I think Greg laughed at Mike when we first shared this, but they are now the pastors at CityLife! In similar fashion, we had another friend couple in Ohio that we video chatted with as we prepared to plant in New Orleans. We shared the news of where we were moving then asked them to pray about joining us. They agreed to pray, but I’m certain they thought we were crazy!
We faced circumstances that most people assumed we would run from, but when you know the Lord has called you to a land, you must trust that He will protect and prosper you in that land.
It’s amazing to see how God works in lives, stirring people’s hearts to be part of things that take an incredible amount of faith. Here we are two years later, and Pastor Eric and Lindsay Baker are in New Orleans with us putting their hands to the plow! They moved from a one-light farm town to one of the wildest cities in the world. They and their seven kids gave their “yes” to the Lord, leaving everything they had ever known. They have had their car stolen twice, and yet here they remain. In addition to the Bakers, God sent us another person from our dream list without us even having to ask; Mike’s mom, Lynne, joined the team and lives right next door to us now!
Fast forward to present day: we are so excited to see what God is doing at OHR City Church! “Ohr” is the Hebrew word for “light,” and it also means “to bring order amid chaos” (so fitting for this city!). Almost nothing has gone how we thought it would here, yet we believe everything is going exactly how God designed it.
We are currently meeting every Sunday night in our house where we eat, worship, dream, pray, and study the word of God together. While the adults meet in our house, the kids go to Momma Lynne’s house next door! Our team is growing, and we are all becoming a family. None of us knows exactly where the Lord is taking us yet, but everyone is on board to find out!
If you feel God calling you to something, I encourage you to step out in faith and give God your “yes”!
*Want to read more from Mike and Cala Dickey? Read their related article: Five Ways to Support Church Planting
About the Author
Cala Dickey
Mike and Cala Dickey are the lead pastors at the Southeast Region of Open Bible’s newest church plant, OHR City Church, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Before heading down to the bayou, Mike and Cala planted CityLife Church in Wilmington, North Carolina. They are passionate about pioneering and planting churches in areas that desperately need Jesus. The Dickey family is excited for what God is doing through OHR City Church in New Orleans! To learn more, visit Ohrcc.com.
