What does the Bible say about
Transgender People?

Nowhere in the Bible are transgender people condemned, even though they have existed since way before Jesus’ time and Jesus welcomes all minorities to his kingdom.

There are two verses that people use to disqualify any transgender or intersex people from the kingdom God.

• The first is the verse from creation that tells us we are made male and female (Genesis 1:27), which is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 19:4 for the purposes of talking about divorce.

• The second verse is the one that tells people to not cross dress (Deuteronomy 22:5

What do churches believe?

In August 2017, a group of over 150 evangelical Christian leaders drafted and signed a document known as the Nashville Statement. Signers included John Piper, Russell Moore, John MacArthur, R. C. Sproul , Francis Chan, James MacDonald, J. D. Greer, and many other church pastors and Southern Baptist Convention leaders. That document now has more than 24,000 signatures and includes statements such as:

• God has “an appointed link” between biological sex and our self-conception of male or female, regardless of physical anomalies (article 5).

• Those born with a physical disorder of sex development “should embrace their biological sex” (article 6).

• It is sinful to be Transgender or Transgender affirming, and “such approval constitutes an essential departure from Christian faithfulness and witness” (article 10).

• To be Transgender or Transgender affirming is not a matter that faithful Christians can “agree to disagree on”, but rather “it is the faithful duty of a faithful Christian to speak the truth in love at all times” (article 10).

• “God enables people to not have transgender self-conceptions” (article 13).

There are also churches that do not agree with that statement, and instead publicly affirming of LGBTQ people as full participants in the body of Christ and blessing of marriage. These include some from the United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, and a growing number of independent churches across denominations and communities (such as the Post-Evangelical Church movement and the Red Letter Christians).

Is Manliness = Godliness?

In his book Bringing Up Boys (2001), Dr. Dobson tells parents to raise their boys to be “manly”. He advises parents to force them to wrestle, play sports, and not allowed to do “feminine activities”.

• Emphasizes that boys must be raised to be “masculine” and should avoid behaviors deemed “feminine” (like household chores, cooking, cleaning, care for the children).
• Suggests activities like roughhousing, sports, and assertiveness are essential to male development.
• Warns that boys who are gentle, artistic, sensitive, or uninterested in stereotypical boy activities are at risk of becoming confused about their gender or sexuality.
• Encourages parents to steer boys away from interests like dolls, dancing, or “soft” traits, as these could (in his view) lead to gender nonconformity or even homosexuality.

BIBLE EXAMPLES OF MEN

• Jacob preferred to be with his mother at home, enjoyed cooking and was smooth-skinned, in contrast to his brother, who was hairy and preferred to hunt and be outdoors. (Genesis 25)
• Joseph, Jacob’s son, was given an “ornate robe” by his father (Genesis 37:3); the Hebrew word used here for the robe (ketonet passim) means “the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore” (2 Samuel 13:18).
• Deborah (Judges 4-5) was a judge of Israel, acting as a prophet and military leader at a time when women were treated like property and valued by the number of children they could bear.
• The man carrying a water jar, whom Jesus indicated would take the disciples to the room for his last supper, was doing work that was normally done by women, and yet was given this part to play in Jesus’ ministry (Luke 22:10).
• King David, a warrior and king, also was a musician, played the harp, loved to dance gracefully, expressed deep emotion, artistic sensitivity, and relational vulnerability.
• The Bible contains feminine images of God: like God’s wisdom in Proverbs personified as female (Proverbs 1:20, 8:1, 9:1), references to God describing actions associated with women: nurturing life in the womb (Psalm 139:13), giving birth (John 3:5-6), and protecting children (Matthew 23:37), the original text for Genesis uses feminine words in reference to the Holy Spirit and the earliest Christians spoke of the Holy Spirit as a feminine entity. 
• Matt 5:22 reads “anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca/rakkah (sissy) is answerable to the court”.  

Maybe the point of godliness is our heart, not our gender nor how manly or feminine we act.

Did God Make a Mistake?

Transgender man and Christian author Austen Hartke writes:

“Did God make a mistake? Personally, my answer is no. I don’t believe God made a mistake in creating me just as I am. God created me with a body that was designated female when I was born—a body that I struggled to connect with for the first twenty-six years of my life and that I now finally feel at home in—but God also created me with a capacity for change and with a mind that identifies as male. I believe God made all of me—gender identity included—and intended for me to be a transgender person who sees the world through a different lens. I don’t think God made a mistake. I think God made me transgender on purpose.” (Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians)

God created so many spectrums of beauty around us, and it looks like gender is one of those beautiful creations. Instead of experiencing the blessing of having Transgender people in our lives and in our church community, we have pushed certain people away. Even worse, we have condemned, ridiculed, mocked, and blocked them out of the Kingdom of God.

When someone is born different, it might make them wonder if something went wrong, but Scripture reminds us over and over that God doesn’t make mistakes.

“For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.” Psalm 139:13-14

Each of us are crafted with intention, care, and purpose. Our differences aren’t accidents; they are reflections of the beauty and diversity of God’s creation. When someone doesn’t fit the mold others expect, these realities do not disqualify them from God’s love, purpose or design—they are embraced within it. God made us just the way we are, not in spite of His love, but because of it.

Nowhere in the Bible are intersex people, third gender people, or transgender people addressed, and yet we have deemed them unclean, unsaved, and rejected.

How far do we follow Jesus?

Following Jesus is sometimes messy. Following Jesus means following to the unknown. Following Jesus means going with him to the part of town that is scary.

The disciples had to follow him into uncomfortable places: into the home of a tax collector, into the presence of a bleeding woman he chose to touch, and into a room where a prostitute wiped his feet with her hair.

They didn’t always understand what he was doing, or why he welcomed the people he did. Following Jesus meant surrendering control and letting grace lead. That can feel scary sometimes.

Today, some feel that same fear when it comes to transgender people—unsure of what’s right, what’s real, or how to respond. But if Jesus consistently drew near to those who had been cast out, maybe following him now still means walking toward people we don’t yet fully understand, with compassion, curiosity, and courage.

It’s Different When You Know Them!

It’s easy to form opinions about people from a distance. But everything changes when you actually know someone. When you sit across the table, hear their story, see their heart, it’s no longer just an issue, it’s a person. Many times it’s a person who is hurting, longing to be seen, known and understood. When that person is kind, brave, funny, or hurting, your heart opens in ways arguments never could.

Love doesn’t grow in the abstract—it grows in relationship. If we’re serious about following Jesus, we can’t stop at labels or headlines. We have to get close enough to see the image of God in people who are different from us. Only then can understanding—and love—take root.

There are over 1.6 million people in the States today that were born with gender differences. They had no choice. We are not talking about adult people that want to rebel against God. We are talking about children, teens, and young adults, that are caught in the crossfire. These people experience high levels of discrimination and violence. They are bullied at school, rejected by families, denied employment, refused health care, often fired, denied promotions. They are at high risk for hate crimes, experience partner violence, and sexual assault. Due to society’s hatred towards them, they are more likely to experience mental issues, depression, anxiety, negative self-image and psychological distress. These disabilities lead to health issues, chronic illness and extreme loneliness.

Stop to hear their stories. Listen.

Jesus does not condemn them, and neither should we.

Austen Hartke Helps Us Understand

• Human Rights Campaign and the Bible (website)
• Trans Theology Books (books)
• Theology Transgender Authors books)
• Queer Theology (podcast)
• Transgender Welcome: A Bishop Makes The Case For Affirmation (online book)

A Beautiful Creation

When we step back and look at the full picture—biology, Scripture, and the heart of Jesus—we find that the conversation around gender is far more complex, human, and beautiful than many have allowed.

Nowhere does Jesus condemn those born with differences. Instead, He repeatedly moved toward the marginalized, embraced the misunderstood, and honored those who had been cast aside.

The image of God is not confined to binary categories or cultural norms. It is reflected in every soul created, every story unfolding, and every life courageously lived in truth. Jesus never drew his circle small. Neither should we.