Gender Theory

Gender theory is a field of study that explores how gender roles, behaviors and identities are constructed and perceived in society. It examines the relations between the sexes and how these relations influence social, political and economic structures.

Gender theory focuses on several key aspects:

Social construction of gender: It analyzes how social norms and expectations shape gender identities and the roles assigned to men and women.

Intersectionality: It takes into account the intersections between gender, race, social class and other forms of oppression in order to understand the lived experiences of individuals.

Power and domination: It examines how gender influences the distribution of power and resources in society.

Gender identity: This aspect examines the various ways in which individuals define and express their gender identity, including non-binary and transgender identities.

Definition: Gender identity is a person's inner, personal perception of their own gender. It may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.

Male and Female: Traditional gender identities aligned with male and female roles.

Non-binary: A gender identity that does not fall exclusively within the categories of male or female. Non-binary people may feel both male and female, neither male nor female, or fluctuate between genders.

Transgender: A transgender person has a gender identity that differs from the one assigned to them at birth. For example, a person assigned female at birth may identify as a man.

Definition: Gender expression is the way a person manifests their gender through behaviors, clothing, hairstyles, first names, and so on.

Fluidity: Some people may express their gender in a fluid way, changing their expression depending on the context, personal feelings or other factors.

Conformity and Non-conformity: Gender expression may or may not correspond to societal expectations linked to the sex assigned at birth. For example, a person assigned female at birth may choose clothing and behaviors typically associated with masculinity.

Respect and Acceptance: Recognizing and respecting gender identities and expressions is crucial for the mental and emotional well-being of individuals. This includes using the first names and pronouns chosen by the person, as well as recognizing their right to express their gender authentically.

In summary: gender theory explores the diversity and complexity of gender identities and expressions, recognizing that gender is a fluid and personal dimension of human experience. It encourages understanding and acceptance of the different ways in which individuals define and live their gender.

This theory appears important today in view of its notoriety and the impact it has on many people. It is appearing in embryo in the education of our children in public schools. Of course it is controversial, but its influence on young minds in full development will inevitably risk leaving lasting after-effects in the lives of our young people.

The secular school is a place of training, instruction and skills development, but it should not be a place where minds are molded.

This theory is by no means anecdotal. On November 27, 2024, before the Senate, Alexandre Portier, Minister Delegate for School Success and Vocational Education, expressed his opposition to the draft sex education curriculum, stating that "gender theory has no place in our schools".

Despite a reprimand from the Minister of National Education, Anne Genetet, Alexandre Portier maintained his position, stressing that he would personally commit himself to ensuring that this theory is not taught.

But what interests us is the collision of these revolutionary ideas with the ancient principles of the Bible.

In France, the question of "gender theory" arouses fierce controversy and deeply divides society. On one side, the right-wing political parties, chiefly the Rassemblement National (RN) and Les Républicains (LR), wish to ban the teaching of this notion in school. Their position takes the form of bills aimed at prohibiting any treatment of it in the school setting.

In opposition, most teachers' unions voice their disagreement with this prospect of a ban. At the same time, the left actively defends the teaching of the notion of gender. It considers that gender is a multidisciplinary tool, used in sociology, philosophy and psychology, and that it is essential for analyzing and deconstructing social inequalities. This camp rejects the idea that gender is a fantasized "ideology", preferring approaches based on empirical analysis.

The left firmly opposes texts aimed at banning or penalizing these studies and defends teachers' pedagogical freedom.

To date, no bill provides for exempting a minor from parental consent for a sex-change operation: according to the Public Health Code, any medical act on a minor (hormonal or surgical treatment) requires parental authorization, the only exceptions, where the minor can consent alone, concerning contraception, the care of a pregnancy or abortion.

The Haute Autorité de santé (French National Authority for Health) recommends multidisciplinary care (psychologist/psychiatrist, pediatric endocrinologist, surgical team): before age 15, only puberty blockers may be started, under strict supervision and with parental agreement; hormone treatments are offered from age 16, always with parental consent; and irreversible surgeries (mastectomy, hysterectomy, vaginoplasty...) are considered only after the age of majority, except in extremely exceptional cases validated by a medical tribunal.

Legislative discussions on these subjects therefore remain heated and deeply partisan.

The Bible does not explicitly address gender theory, because this modern concept did not exist at the time when the biblical texts were written.

Gender theory, or the theory of sexuality, goes back to the work of Sigmund Freud at the beginning of the 20th century. Freud explored the concepts of gender identity and sexuality in his works, notably in "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality" (1905) and "The Wolf Man" (1913). Gender theory has evolved and been enriched over the decades with contributions from many researchers and thinkers, notably in the fields of psychoanalysis, sociology, and gender studies

However, the Bible contains many references to gender roles and identities, often rooted in the cultural and historical contexts of the time.

Biblical References on Gender

1. Creation of Man and Woman:

This verse of the Bible clearly affirms that God created two distinct sexes: man and woman. According to biblical teaching, the question of gender identity does not arise, since the human being is born male or female.

This understanding was widely accepted over the centuries as a self-evident matter of common sense.

2. Traditional Gender Roles:

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

(Louis Segond translation S21 — afficher la définition INF082)

22 Wives, [submit] to your husbands as to the Lord,

23 for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, which is his body and of which he is the Savior.

24 But just as the Church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church. He gave himself up for her

26 to bring her to holiness, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

27 so as to present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, but holy and blameless.

28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cares for it, just as the Lord does for the Church,

30 because we are members of his body, [formed from his flesh and his bones].

31 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.

32 This mystery is great, and I am saying this with reference to Christ and the Church.

33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife respect her husband.

(Louis Segond translation S21 — afficher la définition INF082)

Many people consider certain passages of the Bible demeaning to women, notably as here, where the apostle Paul seems to place the man as head of the woman. However, it is specified that the man must, and therefore is under the obligation to, love his wife to the point of sacrifice. By contrast, the wife is not explicitly asked to love her husband.

Yet we understand that a wife loved by her husband in the way the apostle Paul describes will not be able to help loving such a man. And if some wives do not love their husbands, we may ask ourselves about the love the husband has for her.

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

(Louis Segond translation S21 — afficher la définition INF082)

10 Who can find a wife of noble character? She is worth far more than pearls.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and it is all gain for him.

12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

13 She obtains wool and flax and works with a joyful hand.

14 Like a merchant ship, she brings her provisions from afar.

15 She rises while it is still night, and gives food to her family and orders to her servant girls.

16 She considers a field and buys it. With the fruit of her labor she plants a vineyard.

17 She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.

18 She sees that what she earns is good. Her lamp does not go out at night:

19 she spins the wool herself, she weaves the clothes herself.

20 She opens her arms to the unfortunate, she stretches out her hand to the poor.

21 She does not fear the snow for her family, for everyone there is clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes herself coverings, she has clothes of fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is known at the city gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

24 She makes shirts and sells them, and delivers belts to the merchant.

25 Strength and honor are her clothing. She laughs at the days to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household, she does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her sons rise up and call her blessed, her husband too, and he sings her praises:

29 "Many women have done well, but you surpass them all."

30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain; it is the woman who fears the LORD who will be praised.

31 Give her the fruit of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates!

(Louis Segond translation S21 — afficher la définition INF082)

Proverbs 31.10-31: Describes the virtuous woman in terms of her domestic roles and her family virtues.

The Bible clearly indicates that the positions concerning gender, as described by Moses in the book of Genesis, are exclusively binary.

The biblical texts establish the concepts of man and woman, as well as of father and mother. This subject will be analyzed in greater depth later.

At present, debates exist within various religious communities. These discussions do not concern the interpretation of these verses, but rather the way of welcoming non-binary or transgender people as brothers and sisters.

28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

(Louis Segond translation S21 — afficher la définition INF082)

Some might interpret this verse of Paul, "there is neither male nor female", as a reference to gender theory.

However, it is important to note that Paul here emphasizes the equality of all human beings before God. He affirms that, from the divine perspective, the Jew, because of his particular status, is worth no more than the Gentile, and that the man is no more important than the woman.

Before God, all human beings possess the same intrinsic value. Similarly, skin color makes no difference in the eyes of God.