Food for thought

Here’s some food for thought:

A friend recently sent me the results of research done by the insurance industry on the incidence of transgender people in the United States. Their research concludes that there are approximately 20 million transgender people in this country and that about 400,000 of those are, like me, transsexuals (the severe end of the transgender spectrum of “gender identity disorder”).

This correlates very well with the research done by Lynn Conway from the University of Michigan finding that the incidence of transsexualism is about one in every 250 people in the United States. It supports the conclusions of Dr. Roughgarden (Harvard PhD and professor at Stanford) that transsexuals are unusual (statistical outliers) but well within the statistical definition of “normal”

So why are legal protections and societal acceptance so hard to come by? Think “women”, “blacks”, “disabled” and you will realize that the majority in power never easily accepts differences. Whether it is because they don’t want to admit that “they” are “us” too (my family, your family, our family), or because they fear a dilution of power, or just because they don’t want to acknowledge the rich diversity in God’s creation really doesn’t matter. It still hurts both society and people like me.

Sadly the one organization that should be leading the way in embracing all people (“God so loved the world”) often is the last to come to acceptance as illustrated in the church’s historic reluctance to accept blacks and see women as equal to men. Praying and working for change, Julie.

Heros Needed

I don’t feel like a hero. To my shame, I was a reluctant activist. I would write congressmen and senators and give to civil rights organizations, but it was all behind the scenes. The actions taken against me by the university where I worked gave me the kick in the pants (or skirt) I needed. Now I expect to be as active and vocal as I can as long as I can.

This week I had two incidents that shook me a little. At Transgender Michigan’s Pride in the Park I had three different people come up to me and tell me that I was a hero to them. Then yesterday, someone wrote to me, “Thanks again, Julie - The world has long needed a strength like you.” I don’t feel like a hero. What makes others think that? I have reached two tentative conclusions. First, every movement needs leaders who – like it or not – are perceived as heroes. Second, we need - desperately need - more heroes.

What made me a “hero”? It was a little over a year ago when I sat in a rocking chair in our living room with a handgun in my lap. I had composed an email to be sent that began with the words, “By the time you read this, I will be dead.” Then God broke through. I had a lot of friends praying for me during those very dark and difficult days. I believe their prayers saved my life. As I sat wrestling in my mind, I realized I loved my wife and kids (and grandson) too much to end my life. And in that moment I decided to not let hate and discrimination claim another victim. I chose to live and I chose to do all that I can to keep hate and discrimination ruining or ending as many other lives as I could.

So I began to tell me story and Joanne often was able to share her story as well. In God’s providence the story was told and people listened. For over a month I averaged 2-3 media interviews a weekday; including everything from student newspapers and local media to Fox News, Newsweek, and the Wall Street Journal. I was getting 80-100 emails a day from people encouraged by the story to be vocal, active, or supportive. All I did was tell my story and seek to live as authentic a life as I could. I guess that made me a hero. I don’t feel like a hero, but if that is what I am, more are needed. Want to be a hero? Tell your story and/or encourage others to tell theirs. You will be a hero . . . at least to me.

Settlement

After 13+ hours over two days, the university and I have reached a "mutually satisfactory" settlement. Part of the nature of EEOC mediation is that the process and details of settlement cannot be discussed. Joanne and I are grinning and I am hoping to do some consulting and speaking (hopefully eventually for income), write a book, and do ongoing lobbying for changes in the laws and societal responses related to transgender people. I may also teach some. Keep us in your prayers as we continue to seek to be faithful to God's leading in our lives.

Joanne and I met with an auditorium full of Eastern Michigan University students (mostly) and some faculty last night. We told our story for about 45 minutes and then answered questions for nearly an hour. Near the end of the time, a student stood up and made a statement instead of asking a question. She said, "The two of you have changed my life forever. I now have a new definition of love." Moments like that make the occasional hassles all worthwhile.

Mediation Update

My Father spent 7 1/2 hours in mediation today with his lawyer and a team of lawyers from Spring Arbor University. Mediation is to resume on Monday. Most of the other goings on of the mediation are kept in confidence (that's how these things go).

Rules and Relationships

The story of the Bible is one of God saving us from ourselves. It is like a Shakespearean tragedy with a twist. We are the tragically flawed, but the perfect character is the one that makes the sacrifice. The most phenomenal part about the whole thing, is that he does this to save us. More than anything God desires a relationship with us, and that we have good relationships with one another. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself. It is a tragedy to see the Bible taken as "God's instruction book" and used to destroy relationships.

The first sin of mankind was giving in on a temptation to a false promise: To know good and evil; to be like God. The consequence was broken relationships with God, and lives filled with misery. Man used his newfound "wisdom" to try to judge God and his wife (don't try this at home). God gave us 10 simple rules, but we couldn't even follow those. More rules followed, and more transgressions. By the time Jesus arrives on the scene, we think we have it all figured out. Our "holiest" men, the Pharisees, tell the Son of God how it really is. Jesus breaks a number of their silly rules, and relates to people in amazing ways. Not only that, he performs miracles to bring the outcasts back in to society, and heals the relationally broken, even raising the dead.

Jesus chose the twelve brightest scribes to be his disciples, right? No. He assembled a motley crew of folks who would be with him wherever he went. 2000 years later, we have the Bible in hundreds of different languages. What reason do we have to think we can understand good and evil any better? We do have the Holy Spirit. The wonderful thing about the Holy Spirit is it guides us in our own lives, and helps us know right from wrong. It is also something we can share with others in community, but the Spirit doesn't tell us when others do wrong.

The tragedy of The Church is that it spends so much effort in trying to figure out good and evil, and not enough time living in relationships with real people. The rules in the Bible are there for a good reason. They're meant to help us in our relationships with one another and with God. They tell us how to relate. They are perfect. We, however, are not. If we are honest with ourselves, there are a lot of "rules" in the Bible that we don't understand. There are probably even more rules that we think we understand. Maybe it's time to let go of that temptation to know all good and evil. We have the Spirit to guide us on our way, and maybe that's enough. Maybe it's enough to know what is good and evil for me to do.

The situation with my father and Spring Arbor University is just one more example of a broken situation, a broken relationship. Can I point a finger at one side or the other and say "you've done this?" It would be only too easy to blame the serpent for all our tragic flaws. It isn't easy (is it possible?) to understand what God's divine law really says here (and only slightly easier to understand U.S. Law). What we can do is focus on doing something positive, mending our own broken relationships.

God, I pray that you would be with my parents, Spring Arbor University, and lawyers for both parties as they attempt to mediate tomorrow. Let your Holy Spirit guide the situation and work in these relationships. I pray that in the middle of this mess, You would receive the glory, and that Your will would be done. Amen.

Saturday Feature: In TG Shoes - Bathrooms

This Saturday, I thought I'd bring up something that for most of us, is a pretty normal everyday thing, but for someone who is transgendered, it must be intimidating. No matter which restroom you use (etiquette says to use the one that matches how you present yourself), it could lead to a confrontation. Sometimes, it could even lead to violence against the transgendered individual. Safe2pee.org tries to offer a resource for transgendered persons in public places. They are attempting to catalog bathrooms that are either single stall with a locking door, or omni-sex. I'm not sure it would make a very good resource for transgendered people (those outside of San Francisco at least) but it highlights the issue in a way that makes you think about it. Also, it's a Google maps mashup, so if you know up TG friendly bathrooms in your area, you can add them to the list.

The Matter of Choice

I am DCNemesis' mom. I am the spouse of Julie for the last 34+years. I have been supportive of the transition and have had my own journey. I wrote the following essay to share some of my personal observations and thoughts about Julie's "Choice".

The Matter of Choice

There was a comment about choice in reference to being transgender. I have reflected about that over the last few days. Some thoughts came to me that helped me clarify how this might be seen as a choice to some.

Being transgender is not a choice. A growing body of evidence is showing that the condition is biological. A portion of the hypothalamus is sized differently in the transgender, matching their perceived gender. Brain wave studies show that the brain waves of the individual match their perceived gender.

I believe that most people have difficulty accepting the treatment. They see the individual making a choice to receive treatment. Yes, I would agree with that. Some individuals, who are transsexual, for a variety of reasons, decide not to pursue treatment. This comes at a tremendous cost emotionally and physically.

Let’s look at an example that is a choice but is much less emotionally charged. A person has pain, very bad pain, let’s say a headache. The pain can be dehabilitating causing an individual to lose work time and even at times go to bed. If available most people seek a remedy to get rid of the pain. They chose to take a pill to eradicate it. If the headaches are recurring often, they seek medical intervention. Some will go to great lengths to be pain free. I think we all can identify with the desire to subdue pain. But overall, there is a choice, try to live with the pain and possibly suffer some consequences or try to take something to get rid of the pain.

A transgender person lives with a different kind of pain. The pain comes from the disconnect between the body and mind. They are sending opposing messages. This causes stress. Sometimes the pain is so great that suicide seems the only way to come to a sense of peace (that is a horrible choice). Once a person discovers the reason for their feelings and hears there is something that can help them decrease the pain, they desire to follow that medical advice.

In the past, several methods were devised to try to correct the mind and make it conform to the body but they were unsuccessful and often harmful to the individual. The only method that has been show to help thus far is conforming the body to the mind.

How can we deny another person from seeking relief to their pain?

What are we feeling as individuals who interact with someone who is transgender? Are we uncomfortable because we can not put ourselves in their place? Do we misunderstand scripture and so impose our understanding upon the other person? Do we feel that is must be some kind of perversion? Are we embarrassed to be around them? Does their presentation in a gender conforming way cause us to realign our thinking about them?

I think that it is most important to delve deeply within ourselves and try to discover the reason for the objection. For myself, I had to realize that it was fear. I feared what other people would think. I feared rejection and loss of friends. I have, over time learned to face my fears and chose to love. The discomfort I felt was nothing in comparison to the deep, overwhelming pain of my spouse. I have come to realize that his “choice” to be Julie was necessary and life preserving.

Please consider how choice is an important part of life and necessary to preserve life and dignity.

Saturday Feature: In TG Shoes

I figured I'd make a new regular Saturday Feature for the blog's regular readers. I want to provide something to think about that might help understand some of what it must be like to be Transgendered. I'll be the first to admit that there is a lot about Gender Identity Disorder and TGness that I don't understand, and some that I don't think I can. It is hard to imagine what it might be like to be someone completely different in your head than you are on the outside.

However, if we can try to understand a little bit about how it might feel, it is incumbent upon us to do. Jesus called us to weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice. This kind of compassion starts with empathy.

This week, I thought I'd turn the tables around a bit. Instead of talking about my Dad, who is . . . "gracefully advanced" . . . I found a video on YouTube that talks about Transgendered children, and it is mainly addressed to their families. I don't know if I would take all of the recommendations that this organization suggests for raising TG children, but it is a very difficult to imagine how I would deal with it.
So, I can't say I'd fully endorse the message of this video, but it should at least make you think and feel. Also, you'll find that alot of the issues for TG children are the same as they are for adults. Enjoy the video.

Media and Mediation

I'm wondering what effect media coverage of this will affect the mediation session that is less than two weeks away. The story refuses to die down (recently hitting Internet mega-site BoingBoing). Will SAU be too irate with the coverage to offer any deal? I could also see SAU being compelled to seek a quicker solution, before the story gets any bigger. Less than two weeks remain until the mediation, but for today's media, that is like an eternity. I'm interested to know what others think on this.

Is Spring Arbor More Extreme than Pat Robertson?

Pat Robertson is often quoted in the media as an "extremist" Christian for some of the things he says. Personally, I don't know much about what he says except the stuff that gets trotted out by the media. So, I was quite suprised to find something on the internet suggesting that Pat Robertson wasn't against gender reassignment surgery (though he is not for it either). Here is a question and answer from the 700 Club's website (emphasis added):

"Q: I have a friend that I have known since we were kids who has considered getting a sex change. Is it wrong and a sin for a person to change their sex from being male to female or from being female to male?

A: Such an option did not exist in the Bible. Nobody could ever do such a thing. It is very radical surgery. They literally change organs from male to female and vice versa. It’s pretty traumatic. And on top of that, they shoot the person full of the various hormones, either estrogen or testosterone, to make it happen. Is it a sin? I can’t say it’s a sin, because I don’t have any biblical authority one way or the other. But the Bible says wherever you were when you came to the Lord, you stay that way. I think that probably would be closer to it, what the apostle Paul said. But I can’t pontificate on this one, but I do feel sorry for those that are in that condition."

I'm not sure what verse he is trying to bring up at the end there, but I found it interesting that Pat Robertson would have a fairly moderate stance on this issue. It seems he made an effort to research the issue before he answered, and came to a very different position than Spring Arbor's so-called Biblical position.

A Bit of Levity - What's In a Name?

I feel like this blog could use a bit of levity amidst the theological discussion, legal stuff, and small town politics. So, here's the deal: My wife and I are expecting a baby in September. While we can deal with the confusion of my Dad's identity, we don't expect our little one to get it right away. To help avoid confusion, we thought we'd come up with some name other than "grandma" or "grandpa" that our child can call Julie. My Dad isn't quite like a normal grandma, and certainly won't be a normal grandpa (though that is the position Julie will occupy on the family tree). So, I'm thinking that a different name might help to solve the semanitic issues. The only problem is, I have no idea what a good name might be. So, I'm throwing it open to you guys. Please give your best ideas in the comments.

What Gender or Sex is God?

As the media coverage lessens, I wanted to focus a little bit more on some issues of theology as it relates to transgenderedness. I'll look at some of the issues that surround the topic, and as much as possible present all the ways the verse might be interpreted, not just those that would support one side over the other. If you have a verse or issue you'd like me to look at, leave it in the comments section and I'll try to get to it.

I thought I'd start with the question "What Gender or Sex is God?" The question is relevant as we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27); called to be transformed into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:29); and are being transformed into an image of His glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). First off, it is possible that Genesis 1:27 tells us nothing about God, as we do not know to what degree we are made in His image. We could be made in his image in terms of character, but not in our sexual or "engendered" natures of male and female. I would have some real problems accepting this view, as verse 27 itself refers specifically to male and female forms. Also, some specific verses (like 1 Corinthians 11:7) seem to draw a specific connection between sex and the image of God (although I'll be the first to admit that verse is difficult to interpret).

Excluding the possibility that our sexual natures are something not related to the image of God, we are left with two interpretations. The first (I'll call it the "Traditional" interpretation) is that God is masculine. The second possibility is that God transcends descriptions of sex and gender. The first interpretation is better supported if the Hebrew "Adam" in Genesis 1:27 is translated as "man" not as "mankind" (different translations treat this word differently). This interpretation would consider man as made in the image of a masculine God, and woman made in the image of man (not as an image of God in her own right). This also seems to be the line of logic suggested in 1 Corinthians 11. Of course, if you take this viewpoint on scripture, a number of dictums naturally come with it, such as male headship in the church. Based on the very few female clergy in the Free Methodist Church, this may very well be the position they take. Of course, then the question of "what does it mean to make ourselves transform or conform to the image of God?" becomes quite problematic. Are women supposed to be more like men to better reflect the image of God? I have heard nobody who suggests such a thing, but it seems to follow from the above logic. That is unless of course, you mean that women are supposed to be like God only in character and are doomed to inhabit a body which is not made in God's image.

The second position is that God transcends gender. If you are asking why I don't include the possibility that God is strictly feminine, it is simply that it goes against too much of what you find in Scripture to really be supported ("Our Father, who art in heaven . . . " etc.). Oddly enough, 1 Corinthians 11, which I said above seems to take the logic of the first position, also contains things which might support the second (Hey, I warned you it is hard to interpret). 1 Corinthians 11 describes God as the originator of all things, in the same way that man "originates" from (is born of) a woman. God certainly has many attributes that we might call more feminine that masculine, such as compassion and grace. If you take this view, conforming or transforming to the image of God is something that people may pursue with their whole being, whether masculine or feminine, male or female.

I'm sure some stumble over the fact that Genesis 1:27 says God created them "male and female" and that anywhere "in between" is anathema. To that, I'd say, this was a verse referring to before the fall, and now we have very hard to dispute middle grounds, like true hemaphrodism. I don't know anyone who would claim that Christ didn't die for hemaphrodites, though I'm sure there are some extremists out there. If transgenderism, is "hemaphrodism of the brain" can we not accept it at the worst as a result of the fall? At best, it might be an expression of the image of God.

Can Any Good Come of This?

The title above is my attempt to paraphrase a number of critics who think my dad should just "pack it in and find a new job." I responded earlier today to someone expressing similar sentiment. Right after replying, I found an e-mail in my inbox from a pastor who is close to what is going on with my father. I can't say whether he'd support my father or SAU (possibly neither), but here is what he had to say:

Last week I sent a letter to my people, explaining the situation and my response in detail. Yesterday we spent the day dealing with this issue as a congregation. In the morning service, I used my own experience to explain our Christian responsibility to love those who are hurting. I wrestled with God over this message the whole week. By Saturday night I was defeated, but I didn't have time to write the sermon. So, I had to preach without much preparation. I think I broke nearly every rule of preaching. However, it was clear that God was moving in our hearts. I confessed my own failure and anger. I pleaded with the people to learn from my sin and love instead of hate. I took a risk and put myself out there to be beaten and bruised. I was overwhelmed to see the congregation respond with one heart. Instead of criticism, anger or pain, they loved. There was confession, and hugging and a sincere desire to face our fears and love others. Many, including myself, were afraid this news would divide the church. Instead, we have been revived. One person said this would not have happened years ago. It was a refreshing and healing morning.

In the evening we had a short meeting, but I had announced that anyone who had questions could come after the meeting. I promised to stay until every question was answered. We talked and faced some hard issues together. We examined God's word and we expressed our true selves -- no more Sunday masks. After two hours, everyone had an expression of awe. The word "wow" was heard throughout the building. People stayed after and talked, cried, and hugged. One young lady said "I don't ever want to leave here no matter what happens."

This is just one instance of God using this situation to change people in a positive way. I'm inspired by this pastor's courage to face the situation with brutal honesty and integrity.

A few other points to make regarding the titular question:
1. God decides what happens in the future, we don't. As Romans 8:28 says: "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to {His} purpose." Claiming that this situation will bring terrible things to SAU, or "the body of Christ" flies in the face of God's promise. Be careful of underestimating God's power.
2. You can only live your calling. The actions of others may be hard to understand, and even seem detrimental, but it is God who takes our sacrifices and makes them good.
3. If you find yourself in a situation that you can't find any good in, do what you can to make some. Jesus raised the dead. He turned funerals into joyful celebrations. In the Old Testament, Benaiah pursued a lion into a snowy pit and killed it. How's that for making a bad situation good?

Going Public, or Why I Blog

Someone anonymously posted a question that basically said "Why go public with this?" I thought I'd respond with a post, because I'm sure it is a common question. While I can't speak for my father, I know why I am writing this blog, which I think is a related question. This is not the first time a transgendered person has been discriminated against by their employer, and it probably won't be the last. However, if we draw attention to it, people will at least be aware of the issue, and may act to prevent a similar situation where they work. This might happen at a Christian College or University, where they take steps to define where the stand on the issue in advance, so that they might have a BFOQ. Or the issue may cause them to seek to understand more about what it means to be transgendered, and they might put affirmative policies in place. Either way it prevents illegal discrimination. While we can't eliminate these types of situations entirely, we can hope to lessen them.

If you think Spring Arbor University has taken a stance that is incorrect, publicity might help to change their minds. I assume SAU makes decisions like these with some regard for what their supporters (financial and otherwise) might think about the issue. If they have taken a position that is different than what these supporters might wish them to take, the only way for them to hear that is to make the story public. Most of those that care about this situation probably now know about it. If enough contact SAU, they may choose to moderate their stance and be more open to a reasonable mediation (even a reinstatement?), preventing this from having to go to court. Of course, many people will not make up their minds immediately upon hearing about the story. Those open-minded individuals will want to hear from different perspectives. That is what this blog is about: having a discussion.

In revealing this story to the press, some activist groups may try to claim that this story in fact supports their cause. This is what activist groups do. They spin a story and try and use it to further their own cause. Honestly, I think many activists have tried to spin this story to support their cause against the facts at hand. For instance, my father is not gay. We can't stop an activist group from doing what they will with the story, but we can be true to the facts of the case, and state how we view the issue in situations like this. The point of going public is not to rile up activist groups, but to hopefully further understanding and allow open-minded people to decide on the facts. Activist groups are pretty close-minded, so there is really no purpose in trying to have a discussion with them.

The anonymous poster noted that (paraphrasing) "it is easy to make scripture say what you want it to." I agree that there are ways of "proof-texting" for many arguments, but that is far from being a "Biblical stance." Acceptable methods for interpreting scripture will not look at a single verse, but also the verse in relation to other verse which might address the issue. When you look at all the verse that might apply, you may find you still can reach different conclusions. If the Bible does not decide an issue, we as Christians may take different viewpoints, but we should be gracious with those who disagree. There are many things that are "non-essentials" in the Christian faith, and I'd put whether it is acceptable to wear jewelry or not in the same category.

Another side note: I've seen more anonymous commentors then I typically do on other blogs. That's okay. I understand that this is a difficult issue to talk about, and I hope the ability to comment anonymously allows more to participate in this discussion. If possible, though, I'd ask that anonymous commentors use some way of differentiating themselves from the other anonymous commentors, so that we know you're not really all the same person.

CitPat Runs Follow-up Article

The story has again made front page in Jackson. They even mention this blog. I won't ramble about it this time, I'll just give you the link. You can tell me what you think in the comments section.

Things Get Ugly at the Extremes

As I said in an earlier post, I think there is a lot of room for differences of opinion within the Church on the issue of what to think about the Transgendered. It isn't easy to define a solid position for or against it based on clearly applicable scriptures. There are a lot of verses at the periphery of the issue, and if you pick from those, you can come up with very different theologies. So, in light of that, it really bothers me when Christians resort first to attacking other Christians for their different interpretations. I'd challenge anyone who thinks that their theology captures all that God is to reconcile with Romans 11:33. Or, as Shakespeare would say: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Two clergy have taken up opposite extremes, each bashing the other, and I wanted to make it clear I don't think either of them are helping things.

The first is the "MadPriest," an Anglican priest from England. He posts the article from the CitPat with the heading "Today's Complete and Utter Bastards Are: Spring Arbor University." From perusing his blog, I think he is intentionally over the top, but I don't think it is helpful to having a reasonable discussion. I appreciate his support for my Father, but I don't think he has to bash fellow Christians to do it.

The second may be worse than the first. This one comes from the superintendant of the southern Michigan conference of the Free Methodist Church, Pastor Tom Ramundo. He tries to tar my father by association in noting that the whole thing "seems very carefully orchestrated" to advance the gay agenda. My dad's not gay, and he'll be the first to tell you there is a difference between being transgender and being gay (or maybe he'd be the second to tell you, and my mom the first, I'm not sure which). The article continues to quote him: "I know that university really well, and I know its leadership," he says. "I am sure they have endeavored to treat him in a redemptive way." The Free Methodist superintendent describes the situation as "just one of those issues where there’s that tension between love and purity, and the school’s just finally having to take a strong biblical stand." Of course, he doesn't say what makes this position "biblical" (they continue to be silent about what the Bible has to say about things). It just seems very arrogant and reckless to me placing his confidence in his personal relationships with the walking saints that apparently govern Spring Arbor. The facts: they told him to lie; kept him from relating with his fellow colleagues; and did everything they could to keep him out of sight. I don't see how this is meant to be redemptive. I could go on about the attrocities commited in the name of "purity" but that might be unfairly lumping someone together with something they are obviously not, and I'm trying to avoid that.

The Legal Side of Things

There are many ways to look at my Father's situation with Spring Arbor University. Among these are: moral/ethical; theological; economic; cultural; political; and legal. I've touched on a few of the other areas, but I wanted to say something about the legal side of things. I am not a lawyer, obviously, but I live in DC, so I get some legal-mindedness by osmosis. There are a number of freedoms from the Bill of Rights and EEO laws that enter the discussion here: Freedom of Speech (and expression); Freedom of Religion; Freedom of the Press; and Freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, or creed (I'm sure I'm missing some there). The Bill of Rights offers protections first to individuals - "the People." The freedoms apply not only to individuals, but organizations as well, though some restrictions are placed on organizations. We'd hardly want to trade the tyranny of government for tyranny of some other organization, so the Bill of Rights protects the rights of each individual over those of organizations except in certain circumstances as defined by law. SAU could have claimed those exemptions if they were primarily a religious institution or owned by a religious institution, or if they had a "BFOQ" (Bonafide Occupational Qualification). I don't think they've satisfied either condition, but as I said, I'm no lawyer. If you want to know what a lawyer has to say about all of this, check out this blog on my father's claim.

Of course, I'm not the only one with a legal opinion. A Conservative blogger at HumanEvents.com claims that if my father's claim is upheld it would "be a serious blow to freedoms of religion and association." He seems misinformed in some areas, often confusing "sex" and "gender" and resorts to hyperbole to try and prove his point. I don't know if I should even take this blogger seriously, but their claims that upholding my Father's claim would harm freedom of religion and association seem to turn the situation on its head. The University forced my father to accept a contract that restricted his religious freedom, freedom of association, and freedom of speech. Overturning that contract does not "damage" freedom, it restores it.

Radio interview

Radio interview from a few days ago available at this link.

Dr. Jen

Here's a letter from a medical doctor that will be printed in my local paper's "Letters to the Editor".

SELMA, CALIF. ‹ I am a medical doctor with 26 years of experience in Family Practice and Obstetrics. I also have a special expertise in treating those with Gender Identity Disorder. GID is a medical problem ‹ a congenital disorder in which centers of the brain that determine our "gender identity" develop in the fetus in a manner opposite to the chromosomal sex and the anatomy of the rest of the body. Though many are successful in their lives, driven for decades to prove to others and themselves that they are "normal," this process extracts a mental-emotional toll that cannot be maintained indefinitely. When those with GID reach their crisis point (often in their 30s to 50s), they can no longer continue living a facade contrary to their "true self." They must either "transition" to their true (mental) gender, under the care of medical and psychological professionals, or end up in a severe depression which often results in suicide. The phrase we use for this crisis is "Transition or Die.²"

Unfortunately,most of those who transition that also have a strong church background are frequently brutalized by their very own churches, to which they have long attended and contributed over many years. It is astounding to see that their pastors and so-called Christian brothers and sisters, who should exemplify the love and compassion of Jesus, turn against them in this difficult period of transition. There is nothing in the Bible that would condemn anyone suffering from GID for utilizing the only means (including hormones and surgery) available to bring wholeness to a mind-body incongruity that has caused them decades of suffering. To equate GID with immorality or sexual perversion makes no more sense that to state that all who suffer from seizures are "demon-possessed" just because one boy healed from epilepsy by Jesus was afflicted by an evil spirit.
Jennifer A. Burnett, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine UCSF-Fresno,
Teaching Faculty Fresno Family Practice Residency