A Christian Trans-Affirming Perspective on Changes to the Patient and Affordable Care Act Theological and Practical Implications for Social Workers of Faith
Main Article Content
Keywords
transgender, gender, policy, ethics
Abstract
The definition of sex in Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been a topic of debate, resulting in changes to protections for transgender and gender diverse individuals. The authors invite Christian social workers to engage the intellectual side of policy development while attending to our professional and Biblical calls to care for clients who are negatively affected by policy changes. A brief discussion on gender definitions and an overview of the Christian, trans-affirming approach are included to demonstrate that there is more than one Christian perspective on gender. Current research on the experiences of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals in healthcare offers important information for Christian social workers to reflect on regarding the equitable treatment of TGD individuals despite theologically different starting points. The paper will also assist the profession, at large, to understand the diversity of voices among faith-based social workers.
References
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Austin, A., Craig, S. L., Alessi, E. J., Wagaman, M. A., Paceley, M. S., Dziengel, L., & Balestrery, J. E. (2016). Guidelines for transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) affirmative education: Enhancing the climate for TGNC students, staff and faculty in social work education. https://www.cswe.org/getattachment/Centers-Initiatives/Centers/Center-for-Diversity/About/Stakeholders/Commission-for-Diversity-and-Social-and-Economic-J/Council-on-Sexual-Orientation-and-Gender-Identity/5560-Bcswe_CSOGIE_WP2_TGD_final_web.pdf.aspx
Barton, M. (2009). Gender-bender God: Masculine or feminine? Black Theology, 7(2), 142–166. https://doi.org/10.1558/blth.v7i2.142
Coleman, E., Bockting, W., Botzer, M., Cohen-Kettenis, P., DeCuypere, G., Feldman, J….Zucker, K. (2012). Standards of care for the health of transsexual, transgender, and gender-nonconforming people, version 7. International Journal of Transgenderism 13(4), 165-232. https://doi.org/10.1080/15532739.2011.700873
Department of Health and Human Services (2020). Nondiscrimination in health and health education programs or activities. Federal Register, 85, 119, 37160-37248. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/06/19/2020-11758/nondiscrimination-in-health-and-health-education-programs-or-activities-delegation-of-authority
Ferguson, P. (1996). Adam. In W. A. Elwell (ed.), Baker’s evangelical dictionary of Biblical theology. Baker Books. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/adam.html
Goldberg, A. E., Kuvalanka, K. A., Budge, S. L., Benz, M. B., & Smith, J. Z. (2019). Health care experiences of transgender binary and non-binary university students. The Counseling Psychologist (47)1, 59-97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000019827568
Gross, S. (1999). Intersexuality and scripture. Theology & Sexuality: The Journal of the Institute for the Study of Christianity & Sexuality, 6(11), 65.
Herman, J. L., Brown, T. N. T., & Haas, A. P. (2019). Suicide thoughts and attempts among transgender adults: Findings from the 2015 U.S. transgender survey. Williams Institute. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Suicidality-Transgender-Sep-2019.pdf
Hiebert, R. J. V. (1996). Eve. In W. A. Elwell (ed.), Baker’s evangelical dictionary of Biblical theology. Baker Books. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/eve.html
James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The report of the 2015 U.S. transgender survey. National Center for Transgender Equality. https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf
Lebacqz, K. (1986). Six theories of justice: Perspectives from philosophical and theological ethics. Augsburg PubHouse.
McCullough, R., Dispenza, F., Parker, L. K., Viehl, C. J., Chang, C. Y., & Murphy, T. M. (2017). The counseling experiences of transgender and gender nonconforming clients. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95(4), 423–434. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12157
National Association of Social Workers (2017). Code of ethics. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
Ramshaw, G. (1995.). God beyond gender: Feminist Christian God-language. Fortress Press.
Samuels, E. A., Tape, C., Garber, N., Bowman, S., & Choo, E. K. (2018). “Sometimes you feel like the freak show”: A qualitative assessment of emergency care experiences among transgender and gender-nonconforming patients. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 71(2), 170-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.05.002
Smith G. A. (2017, November 27). Views of transgender issues divide along religious lines. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/27/views-of-transgender-issues-divide-along-religious-lines/
Smith, L. C., Shin, R. Q., & Officer, L. M. (2012). Moving counseling forward on LGB and transgender Issues: Speaking queerly on discourses and microaggressions. The Counseling Psychologist, 40(3), 385–408. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000011403165
Tanis, J. E. (2003.). Trans-gendered: Theology, ministry, and communities of faith. Pilgrim Press.
van Klinken, A., & Phiri, L. (2015). “In the image of God”: Reconstructing and developing a grassroots African queer theology from urban Zambia. Theology & Sexuality, 21(1), 36–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/13558358.2015.1115598