I am a Mormon - a "Jack Mormon" if you prefer. I have, of recent, been
considering returning to the Church.
Several years ago, I discovered I was transsexual. While born as a man, I
am in truth a woman. At this time, I am a "pre-op" transsexual; I have been
on hormones for over one year, live full time as a woman, but the final
operation to complete the process is some time away. In this regard, I have
found a happiness in my life that is above any that I have found before.
Some will confuse transsexuality with the issue of orientation.
Transsexuals may be gay or lesbian, or heterosexual. In my case, hormones
have made me asexual - simply, it is of no interest or concern.
IF I were to return, what is the official position of the Church regarding
my status? Fearing the reaction, I have not and shall not contact any of
the local Wards.
Now, this does raise some interesting questions, does it not? Firstly,
transsexuality is a recognized disorder according to the psychiatric
assessment manual and I have been so diagnosed. Medically, my condition IS
a condition, and not a choice. Secondly, can one, in one lifetime, be both
a male and female, and, within the teachings of the Church, a member of both
the Priesthood and the Relief Society. One could go on...
Naturally, one does not go where one is not wanted. I would not return to
the Church knowing that I would be scorned, ridiculed and (perhaps)
excommunicated. So, what then is the "official position" regarding my
status, or who do I contact regarding the same?
Willow
>Secondly, can one, in one lifetime, be both
> a male and female, and, within the teachings of the Church, a member of
both
> the Priesthood and the Relief Society. One could go on...
No, if they knew you were previously a male they would likely expect you to
attend priesthood operation or not.
>
> Naturally, one does not go where one is not wanted. I would not return to
> the Church knowing that I would be scorned, ridiculed and (perhaps)
> excommunicated.
While I can't say for sure that you would be scorned or ridiculed your
choice to have a sex change operation would not be looked upon approvingly
and I doubt that your lifestyle choices would mesh very well with others in
the congregation so you would likely feel isolated and alone in the ward.
--Tyler remembering the Juriasi incident a few years ago.
Golly, have you chosen a hard row to hoe or what? If Scott Quantz were here
on a.r.m. at the moment he might be able to draw upon his own varied past
lives to try and get on your wave-length. But I think the rest of us armites
can only wing it, and hope we end up somewhere in the right ball-park.
I would expect that someday, in the not too distant future, "transexuality"
of several kinds and shades will indeed be "diagnosed" -- though not so much
as a disorder than as an example one of those rarities of nature from which
we all might learn and grow.
Whether the collected wisdom of the LDS Church has anything useful to say
about this or not, I cannot say. Folks there might (I'm not sure) be slightly
more sympathetic if you were a true hermaphrodite -- or if your diagnosed
genetic make-up were markedly different from most physical "men." If your
personal orientation grew out of unusual early childhood experiences, rarities
of role-modeling, or sexual experimentation a bit later on, they might not be
quite so sympathetic to your "condition" -- though perhaps just as much as
most folks to your individual personhood as a child of God.
Perhaps you and others in the same boat should be regarded as treasures -- in
fact, in Hellenistic times, the greatest gift a living person could aspire to
was that of Hermes/Aphrodite -- the one who had experienced both maleness and
femaleness and thus transcended both.
Wish I could be of more help. That my female side were a bit stronger, so I
could understand better. But, lacking that, all I can say is God go with you.
May you find the pathway meant for you and may the rest of us learn from you.
Dale Richard Broadhurst
(a reorganized Latter Day Saint)
Thank you for your reply...
I shall send you an article from the local newspaper which may explain some
thing off group, but suffice to say...
>Golly, have you chosen a hard row to hoe or what?
Not a choice, not a bit. Given a choice, I would have selected cancer or
some other dread disease - much easier to explain to others and not as
emotionally draining. It is a condition of birth, not of choice...
>Folks there might (I'm not sure) be slightly
>more sympathetic if you were a true hermaphrodite -- or if your diagnosed
>genetic make-up were markedly different from most physical "men." If your
>personal orientation grew out of unusual early childhood experiences,
rarities
>of role-modeling, or sexual experimentation a bit later on, they might not
be
>quite so sympathetic to your "condition"
Well, I denied it for almost fifty years. That too caused problems. Then
came a trip overseas to the third world. Things go wrong in such places and
I had to endure six weeks of sexual abuse and rape. Subsequent therapy
helped with the Post Traumatic Stress problems, but out popped
transsexuality. In retrospect, this was a blessing - a special talent given
to a few to understand and BE both genders. My former "personality" was in
essence destroyed, and Willow emerged.
"Orientation" is again not applicable. That involves other issues. A TS is
not gay or lesbian (and just where do you measure). In fact, I may after
all is done be again heterosexual, or so the doctors say.
>Perhaps you and others in the same boat should be regarded as treasures --
in
>fact, in Hellenistic times, the greatest gift a living person could aspire
to
>was that of Hermes/Aphrodite -- the one who had experienced both maleness
and femaleness and thus transcended both.
Within our groups, we do. Each of us have gone through much and nobody
takes this course without a deep need. We do regard out "talent" as a
treasure - certainly I do. But the rest of the world is a bit different....
Willow
I think that pretty much sums up the churches opinion on homosexual,
transexual, lesbianism, and any other form of "unnatural or unholy" sexual
practice.
--Tyler
<snip>
> Willow
>
>
Tyler, you simply must start adding more line spaces to your reply messages.
I had a hard time distinguishing your words from the Prophet's in this one.
Heck, I have a hard time doing that even when non-Mormons post replies here.
Your Uncle Dale
> > <snip>
> > > Some will confuse transsexuality with the issue of orientation.
> > > Transsexuals may be gay or lesbian, or heterosexual. In my case, hormones
> > > have made me asexual - simply, it is of no interest or concern.
> > >
> > > IF I were to return, what is the official position of the Church regarding
> > > my status? Fearing the reaction, I have not and shall not contact any of
> > > the local Wards.
> > A homosexual can change himself. I firmly believe that no one can cure a
> > deeply entrenched pervert except himself. The Lord will help, his servants
> > will help, and kind friends will help, but the major effort must come from
> > the individual who has the weakness.Kimball, Spencer W. The Teachings of
> > Spencer W. Kimball. Edited by Edward L. Kimball. Salt Lake City, Utah:
> > Bookcraft, 1982.pg 276
> >
> > I think that pretty much sums up the churches opinion on homosexual,
> > transexual, lesbianism, and any other form of "unnatural or unholy" sexual
> > practice.
> > --Tyler
> > <snip>
> > > Willow
> > >
> > >
>
> Tyler, you simply must start adding more line spaces to your reply messages.
> I had a hard time distinguishing your words from the Prophet's in this one.
> Heck, I have a hard time doing that even when non-Mormons post replies here.
>
> Your Uncle Dale
Tyler, I want to back up Dale on this one. I get extremely confused
when I open one of your posts, expecting to read something that Tyler
has written, and instead run smack into the words of SWK. Talk about
cognitive dissonance! How about adding a disclaimer at the beginning,
saying something like, "Here's what Spencer W. Kimball had to say
about this in _The Miracle of Fogiveness_" or some such?
Peggy
I beg to differ with Kimball. It is my experience that one is entirely
powerless to change oneself without relying 100% on God to do the work.
However, change can and does happen.
Homosexuality is a condition that has nothing to do with biology or genetics
but rather, is psychological in nature, lying deep within one's psyche.
Homosexuality cannot be cured, but the underlying problems and issues can be
dealt with. Once these are understood and healed (again 100% the work of
God) then homosexual desires deminish because their cause has gone.
There's a wealth of reading on this subject, anybody who wants to know of
some good books, give me a private email.
Oh, and for all those lurking, I'm not willing to engage in a "can you
really be ex-gay" discussion, so don't bother.
Peter (pink was never my colour anyway) Ould
po...@close-inspection.freeserve.co.uk
http://www.close-inspection.freeserve.co.uk
Of course, I could always start on the Jehovah's Witnesses....