I wanted to highlight a trend I’m noticing in discussing the dialogue around trans issues. This morning Adam Russell Taylor wrote for Sojourners an article “God loves Trans Kids. Recent Laws do the Opposite.” In it he says that because God loves trans children, the recent approaches to trans issues in places like Utah, Florida, and Texas are unloving. This reminded me of Sam Brunson’s article on Saturday in By Common Consent called, “Molech, Transgender Children, and the Idol of Politics.” In his article Brunson talks about the idolatrous God Molech which involved the sacrifice of children. Brunson went on to describe Utah’s recent transgender bill as analogous as sacrificing children to Molech. I don’t have any interest myself in staking out a position on these recent laws at the moment, but I do feel like it needs to be said, that those who supported these laws also feel like they’re loving transgender children. And some of them might even believe those who support gender transitioning are metaphorically sacrificing children to Molech. The question isn’t who loves transgender children and who hates them, but rather what is the best way to approach this issue for all involved. And that’s a question on which there are many different positions. And if that’s true, then trying to create a climate where we can truly hear out the competing perspectives on the well-being of children–and try to come to decisions together that can help the most kids, is also a loving thing to do.
