So it’s no surprise that there are people who don’t “fit” the social
expectations for what a man or what a woman is like. That, of itself, is
nothing new – terms like “tomboy” exist to describe this reality. And
our response ought to be one of compassion and support, particularly if
we’re Christians.

Compassion and support are surely an improvement over squabbling over definitions. We might be a bit wary of even these seemingly constructive concepts though, as they often are a front for a kind of morally superior snobbery. You know, "those poor trans people, they are so sick, we will pray for them from our superior position etc."

Here's what all of us could do in relation to gays, trans, and while we're at it, everybody else too. Mind our own business.

We've seen with our own eyes where the Catholic obsession with sex can lead, and it's not pretty. Wanna be Catholic clerics would be more credible if they focused their attention on the sexual issues within their own community.

On other important issues, such as for example, service to the needy, the Church still stands tall as a moral example. We might recall that Catholic Charities is the 2nd largest provider of social services to the needy in the U.S., topped only the federal government. This is an impressive accomplishment which merits much more public focus.

But when it comes to sex, anything having to do with sex, the wisest most productive thing Catholics can do is sit down and be quiet. Every single time any Catholic makes public statements about sex all it does is remind everyone of some very unfortunate crimes against the innocent, and commit further brand damage on the Church.

Be wise. Be patient. And be quiet (about sex). Give it a century, and the time for Catholic sex sermons will come again. Ok, not in your lifetime, but sooner or later.

>our mind, thoughts, and psychology does not create how reality exists.

I agree with that except for the thoughts themselves, that part of reality is caused by our brains/minds.

>We can think very many things that are not true about reality.

Exactly.

>When we, as a physical human being, come into existence every single cell in our body is either XX or XY, as long as we developed correctly. There are true intersex cases.

Right, so xx, xy, or something else. Though I wouldn't see why you would label intersex "incorrect" development. Different, rare, but calling someone intersex incorrect seems a little harsh.

>So if our cells are naturally XX, then we are a female. If our cells are naturally XY, then we are a male.

Sure, you can say that, but this not how anyone does it, the vast majority of people have no idea what their chromosomes are. So when someone asks me if the new worker, Leslie, is a man it woman, I should say, I don't know?

Also this means in your view some people born naturally with penises are women and done with vaginas are men.

All this I would call "sex".

>you have moved somewhat away from talking about straight gender/sex.

I would say I have moved from talking about sex, to gender. This is much less confusing.

>But even so, general feminine and masculine traits can have biological influences.

In a way, my way of thinking is that masculine and feminine are labels for traits and behaviours that many cultures have traditionally associated with a binary approach to sexes. In western society we have begun to think things like being caring and healing should not be considered a trait of having a vagina, or xx chromosones, and the same for courage and authority being more closely related to having a penis or xy chromosones.

So where do you see infants with xy chromosones "being more interested in moving things and darker colors like blues and grays" ?

>Or like infant girls being more interested in faces and colors like reds and pinks.

How do you know this, and how do you know the cause is their chromosones?

I think we will just have to agree to disagree.

My ultimate view is that our mind, thoughts, and psychology does not create how reality exists. We can think very many things that are not true about reality.

When we, as a physical human being, come into existence every single cell in our body is either XX or XY, as long as we developed correctly. There are true intersex cases, of course.

So if our cells are naturally XX, then we are a female. If our cells are naturally XY, then we are a male.

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Now if you are talking about "feminine traits" or "masculine traits", well then you have moved somewhat away from talking about straight gender/sex.

But even so, general feminine and masculine traits can have biological influences.

Like infant boys being more interested in moving things and darker colors like blues and grays. Or like infant girls being more interested in faces and colors like reds and pinks.

>Okay, so then using this example, that means that the person who dyed their hair blonde,

No I think they would say their hair is blonde but used to be brown, or born with brown hair. It would be silly to call someone brown-haired, if they had bleach blonde hair.

>So in the same way, a transgender female would actually be male.

No, their sex assigned at birth was male, their sex now is trans female. Their gender identity and expression may be anything.

>Ultimately, what we identify wouldn't change the way actual objective biological reality exists.

Correct. Which is why I speak of gender as a social, psychological issue, not a biological fact. Sex is a biological fact .

Just like it is silly to call someone with bleach blonde dyed hair brown-haired. It is silly to call someone with a vagina and breasts, a man. Their sex assigned at birth is male, their sex now is trans female .

Just say "I'm attracted to that person" I don't see why you need to categorize it.

In my understanding homosexuality or same sex, refers usually to people who are attracted to people who have the same sex assigned at birth, and there is little controversial about it.

I think it's probably not as respectful to talk about someone having this or that "gender" rather people have various gender identity and expression.

People can be attracted to all kinds of gender expression, among other things!

Again, just my POV.

E.g. two people are born with brown hair, one person hates brown hair dies it bleach blonde and cuts it short. Another loves it, grows it long and never dies it.

Okay, so then using this example, that means that the person who dyed their hair blonde, would say that their actual hair color is brown.
When in circles of people taking about hair, you will notice that they say, "yeah, but my actual hair color is brown".

So in the same way, a transgender female would actually be male.
Ultimately, what we identify wouldn't change the way actual objective biological reality exists.

One more question BGA :) Is it more appropriate in your understanding/point of view to say "same gender attraction" or "same sex attraction"? Meaning should sexual attraction which as science defines binary or tertiary (intersex) a sexual attraction to a particular sex be better redefined as gender attraction? For example: if I were to see a transmale that I was attracted to based on my subjective gender attraction preferences displayed by this person without knowing the sex of the individual, it seems more appropriate to call that an opposite gender attraction or hetero gender attraction than a homosexual attraction, at least to me. I don't consider myself a homosexual anyways and it seems sex has nothing to do with my attraction. I would think that gender (subjective) attraction is what I have an not a sex (objective) attraction.

gender is the set of attitudes, behavior, which have traditionally been associated with a binary division of the sexes. It is at essence social.

> Is gender subjective in your definition?

Yes, depending on what you mean by subjective. Gender expression and identity generally are a person's own comfort level with the conduct, expectations, apparel, that have traditionally been associated with a binary approach to sexes. E.g. we used to (and many still do) impose aesthetic, and behavioral expextatexpe and norms on people based on the second assigned with birth. While today many people object to this imposition, they still feel more comfortable identifying and expressing with a binary version (cis). Others have no comfort with any such categorization, others identify with both, all kinds of variations .

This is my understanding, point of view .