New Report: “Born This Way” Argument Built on Shaky Science

Homosexuality, ,

A new report analyzing a vast body of studies and research casts doubt on the prevailing notion sexual orientation and gender identity are biologically determined.

After analyzing decades of scientific data, researchers concluded,

“Some of the most widely held views about sexual orientation, such as the ‘born that way’ hypothesis, simply are not supported by science. The literature in this area does describe a small ensemble of biological differences between non-heterosexuals and heterosexuals, but those biological differences are not sufficient to predict sexual orientation, the ultimate test of any scientific finding. The strongest statement that science offers to explain sexual orientation is that some biological factors appear, to an unknown extent, to predispose some individuals to a non-heterosexual orientation. . . . .

“In reviewing the scientific literature, we find that almost nothing is well understood when we seek biological explanations for what causes some individuals to state that their gender does not match their biological sex.”

Writing at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, John Stonestreet notes,

Their report also tackles the transgender question, comparing actual research to the lofty claims of activists. Once again, there’s a yawning chasm. Only a tiny minority of children who experience gender dysphoria continue to identify as transgender when they’re adults.

McHugh and Mayer [the researchers] insist that subjecting children to hormone therapy or to so-called “sex reassignment” surgery is an act of sheer ideology, not medicine or compassion.

And, they add, adults who undergo sex-change operations (which the Obama Administration is pressuring health insurers to cover) are still—get this—19 times more likely to commit suicide than the rest of the population.

You may recall in 2012 the former president of the American Psychological Association stated sexual orientation could change, and in 2014 the former psychiatrist-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital explained in the Wall Street Journal why the hospital stopped doing sex-reassignment surgeries.

Homosexual and transgender activists often liken sexual orientation and gender identity to race, claiming they are biologically determined and unchangeable. The science behind that claim, however, seems to be far from settled.

You can listen to John Stonestreet’s full commentary on the issue below.

[audio:http://www.breakpoint.org/images/content/breakpoint/audio/2016/083116_BP.mp3|titles=’Born This Way’ is Shaky Science]

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Victory at the U.S. Supreme Court

Transgender, ,

Late yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision blocking a Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling concerning school restroom policies.

As you may know, last spring the Obama Administration issued “guidelines” to public schools and colleges instructing them to let biological males who claim to be female use the girls’ restrooms, locker rooms, shower facilities, and so forth at school. Meanwhile, a lawsuit has been underway back east, where a biologically female student who claims to be male has sued the school for access to the boys’ restrooms and locker rooms.

The school has insisted restroom and locker room facilities should remain separated based on students’ biological sex–not based on gender-identity. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had ordered the school to let students use the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice rather than of their biological sex. Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court blocked that decision.

National Organization of Marriage (NOM) issued a statement, saying,

[T]he US Supreme Court has blocked a ruling of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals imposing a transgender bathroom policy by interpreting the term “sex” under Title IX of federal law to mean “gender identity.”

This is a big victory and protects students in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland and comes as students will be heading back to school soon. The ruling is a blow to the Obama administration which has been working overtime to impose the gender ideology of LGBT extremists.

The effect of the ruling is to leave intact a Virginia school district’s policy that intimate facilities such as restrooms, showers and locker rooms are segregated based on a student’s actual biologic sex, and not based on “gender identity” or other subjective feelings.

It is expected that the school district will file a motion with the Supreme Court to hear the underlying case this fall. NOM will urge the Supreme Court to rule that federal law enacted decades ago does not define “sex” to mean “gender identity” and that the Obama administration does not have the legal authority to impose their transgender bathroom policy on the nation’s schools.

While the decision does not directly impact Arkansas, it is a major victory that affects the tone of future court cases.

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YMCA Facilities in Chicago Let Men Use Women’s Locker Rooms, Showers

Transgender

YMCA of Metro Chicago announced last week that its facilities will begin letting biological males who claim to be female use the women’s restrooms, showers, and locker rooms.

The new policy affects some twenty-one YMCA facilities throughout the Chicago area.

The Chicago Tribune writes,

A mom at a suburban YMCA recently reported to employees that she was unnerved to find a teenager who appeared to be male using the women’s locker room.

But YMCA staff later learned the teen was transgender and determined the youth had every right to access the women’s facilities.

“From (the mother’s) perspective, there was a man in the locker room,” said Rae Ulrich, senior vice president of marketing for the YMCA of Metro Chicago. “But there wasn’t. There was a transgender individual in the locker room.”

The YMCA of Metro Chicago has since released a letter outlining its transgender policy. The letter says the Y “supports every member having the opportunity to use the locker room and restroom they select based on their gender identity, or private facilities–as available–if that is their preference. Where not yet available, we are in the process of adding them.”

In other words, biological males who claim to be female will be able to enter and use restrooms, locker rooms, and showers alongside women and girls at the YMCA–and vice versa. If a woman is uncomfortable with that, she is responsible for finding a different room or facility to use at the Y.

This policy tracks with the Obama Administration’s “guidelines” for public schools effectively saying schools must let biological males who claim to be female use the girls’ restrooms and locker rooms at school.

The YMCA went on to say in its letter,

“We recognize our commitment in support of the rights of all individuals can cause some to feel uncomfortable and can raise questions about safety. I want you to know that the safety of all members and guests is always our primary concern at the Y. Let me be clear: the expanded inclusion policy doesn’t give anyone a new opportunity to behave inappropriately.”

How can the YMCA hope to prevent anyone from behaving “inappropriately” under this new policy? If a man claims he is a woman, the staff at the Y cannot stop him from entering the women’s shower facility under this new policy.

We have already seen several examples of individuals exploiting policies and situations like this one. By the time YMCA staff members are notified of “inappropriate” behavior in a restroom or locker room, it may be too late.

Policies like this one defy common sense. They put radical ideology ahead of the safety of men, women, and children.

Below is contact information for YMCA locations in Arkansas. You can use it to contact your area YMCA to discourage them from adopting policies like those of YMCA facilities in Chicago.

Northwest Arkansas Family YMCA
5214 Village Parkway
Rogers. AR 72758
(479) 273-9622
membership@ymcanwa.org

The Hot Springs Family YMCA
130 Werner Street
Hot Springs Arkansas
(501) 623-8803

YMCA of Warren and Bradley County
207 N Main St
Warren, AR 71671
(870) 226-2404

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