The Many Sexes I Feel I Am - Vol 2 No 1

Gender is the feeling I have when I’m wanting to relate in various ways to others around me.    

Gender Theory

Mike continues his freshman activities at a nearby university and spends most of each Tuesday and  Thursday in the classroom on campus. His newest class is Gender Theory. Mike's desire is to rightly represent the truths of God before this dark and needy subculture, and offer God’s wisdom to bear in an environment otherwise bereft of biblical wisdom.  He is willing to be bold and stand firm, but he also wants to be loving and kind in all of his engagements.  Our desire is to open our home and hearts these students and professors with our substance and our love and faith in Jesus Christ.

Define Gender

The first class in gender theory was a doozy. Towards the end of the class the professor gave the students this in-class assignment:

Define gender on a sheet of paper.  You have two minutes.  (Tick tock...)

Prof:  Mike, what’s your statement?  

Mike:  Gender is a reference to the biological sex with which the species are born and by which they are to be identified. 

Prof:  Jim, what’s your statement?  

Jim:  The many sexes I feel I am or want to be.   

Prof:  Very good. Jane? 

Jane:  The feeling I have when I’m wanting to relate in various ways to others around me.    

FOUR OTHERS ANSWER SIMILARLY.  Mike is the only student to believe gender has a biological basis.

Prof:   Those are all interesting answers and all are true.

Mike raised his hand.  

Prof:  Yes Mike?  

Mike: How can all those answers be true when they are mutually exclusive of each other and contradict one another?  

Prof:  Oh, but we know they are all true on individual level. It is each one’s personal truth.

Mike:  By what standard do you determine what is true?  

Prof: (Pause) That’s a good question.  (Silence)

Prof:  Ok, class dismissed.

After Class

Three students stopped Mike outside the classroom door and continued the conversation.  They asked Mike about his definition of gender.  

Before he answered he asked,  "Before I answer let me ask you, would each of you say you were tolerant?"  

They fell over themselves affirming that they were the most tolerant people you would ever meet.  

Mike said, "Good.  Will you be tolerant of me and my views if they are different than yours?  I want us to carry on a civil discussion both here and in class" 

'Sure" they responded, and they seemed to appreciate the clarification.  

The conversation continued for a while,and ended well with one student asking to exchange phone numbers to keep in touch.

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