Spirituality

And Everything In Between…

By Beth Trouy

A friend of mine was talking to me the other day about her daughter who identifies as bi/ pan (bisexual/pansexual) and non-binary. Afterward, I had to google the terms - again. I’ve looked them up before, but I still get confused sometimes. If you are over 40 like me, the world of gender expression and sexual identity is much more complex now. When I was a teen, you were either gay, straight, or bi. Today’s environment is better for gender non-conformists: we are talking about it more and giving more definition to the spectrum of gender and sexuality that has always existed. If only more people could accept the science of a spectrum versus only welldefined gender roles, then we would be much farther along in this discussion. Religion and Science, however, are rarely on the same page and often at odds with each other. The people in the margins who religion should see and protect are those most hurt by their rejection.

It's a welcome sight to see businesses, universities, social networking sights, and others using preferred gender titles. It sends a clear and welcoming message to the nearly 20 percent of the world’s humans who identify as nonheterosexual. The advances in science and research on these issues are paving this path and we are discovering that it was never, as the literal interpretation of the Bible describes, only male and female. It is encouraging to see the effort being made to educate ourselves so that we can be respectful of others and their differences. With my own background in science and with my gay identity, I have never doubted the spectrum theory for gender and sexual expression. It is only logical for me to accept that these characteristics, along with hair and skin color, height, intelligence, and so many other characteristics we possess as humans; are anything but binary. Science has always attempted to provide the facts to reconcile religious truths and the current thinking of our society. Thank goodness science and scientists have been successful with this challenge and we now know the world is round, vaccines work, and we did in fact, evolve from common ancestors as the primates. As a believer in the scientific

method as well as a person of faith, I’ve never had any conflicts between the two. The

Big Bang Theory is probably real and the Creation narrative in Genesis is written by men who tried to teach people of their time that God created the world and everything in it. They used stories the people could understand and directly relate to. Big Bang or not, I know God did it. We and apes are relatives? Of course. The Theory of Evolution has proven this too. In fact, being educated in Catholic schools to interpret the Bible as inspired writings versus literal interpretations, has helped me hold on to my faith as I embrace these truths as they are uncovered. One does not have to give up one’s faith in order to accept what science teaches us even if it seems to contradict our current beliefs. For me, it has deepened my faith in a God Whose ways are so far above our own, we are still learning how it has all come to be. Having the conviction of faith in a God Who created everything removes any fear for me in the “how” part of creation. God did it. This leads me back to the subject of gender and sexual expression. How beautiful that our Creator made us so diverse that this too is made with such complexity! My faith teaches me that above all, I need to give others their dignity and call them by the terms they wish to be identified. My faith teaches me that even if I do not understand where a person is coming from or how they express themselves, I will respect them and their right to live as they believe they were created to live. I took the time to look up the definitions I had forgotten because it’s important that my friend’s daughter knows I respect who she identifies herself to be even if it

confuses me. Most importantly, recognizing her as neither male nor female does not conflict with

my religious beliefs as a Catholic; rather, it enhances my love for a God Who made us so complex that we are still learning new truths about ourselves and how we love one another.

God made them male and female and everything in between and God saw that it was good.