An unstoppable slippery slope?
Is the widespread acceptance of gender transformation inevitable?
It feels like we are on a never-ending slippery slope. One social change (or regression) follows another, follows another. Will it ever stop?
Since 1975, we have seen no-fault divorce, the right to abortion, to same-sex marriage, and the right to die. These social changes are an outworking of the assumption that I have the right to make choices about myself, and others cannot stop me. Is the acceptance of gender transformation inevitable? I suggest we may be reaching the bottom of this slide.
Why? The push against wide spread gender transformation is coming from several fronts. It comes from the social conservatives, Christians, Muslims, and more collectivist and non-individualist cultures. These opponents are expected. For the most part, this conglomeration opposed same-sex marriage without success.
But they are not alone. Prominent women like J.K. Rowling and Germaine Greer oppose various elements of the gender transformation agenda. Others question the narrow focus of identity as primarily sexual. In sports, some oppose the inclusion of gender-transitioned persons in female sports as unfair. In the UK and some Scandinavian countries, gender affirming care is being wound back. Some medical practitioners do not agree that early intervention in all cases where requested represents the best patient care. In Australia, one medical insurer has just ceased to offer cover to doctors who initiate hormone treatment. Some patients who have undergone reassignment intervention subsequently claim that the medical practitioners failed to provide a duty of care and seek reversal or damages.
This is a widespread values clash. It suggests we are reaching the edge of our shared clarity about our values. Like it or not, we are not unwinding no fault divorce or the right to abortion in Australia. The assumptions that underwrite these conclusions are sufficiently shared and not in dispute. This may not be the case with gender transformation. We maybe, just maybe, reaching the edge of the slope of where our new post-Christian values are taking us.
Rev David Rietveld
Senior Minister
This is an excerpt from David’s full article, which can be found here.
