“Created and Loved: A guide for Catholic schools on identity and gender” is the name – and purpose – of new guidance on the treatment of transgender issues from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. It deals with the theological, medical and legislative context the schools face. the bishops urge schools “not to cooperate” with the currently dominant models of treatment for gender dysphoria.
“The Catholic Church and our schools begin from the foundational principle that each person is created in the image and likeness of God, and is loved by God,” says Archbishop Peter A Comensoli, chair of the Bishops Commission for Life, Family and Public Engagement.
“That principle guides this document, which we offer to our schools to support them in walking compassionately alongside each student we are invited to educate.”
““Recent comments by eminent psychologist Professor Ian Hickie highlight the increasing number of medical professionals who are challenging the gender-affirmative approach and are supporting the biopsychosocial approach, which is less invasive, holistic and more closely aligned with a Catholic worldview,” says Jacinta Collins the National Catholic Education Commission executive director.
“It remains critical that our Catholic schools can speak about the Church’s teachings on these matters in an informed way, underpinned by the principles of respect and human dignity.
“Catholic schools are uniquely pastoral communities, but it is vital that the Catholic vision of the whole person informs our understanding. Created and Loved outlines a sound basis for that approach.”
“Created and loved” maintains that God created humankind with two genders. “A human being’s sex is a physical, biological reality. Sex is how human beings’ bodies are organised with respect to reproductive function. Each person’s biological sex unfolds in the womb from conception onward as complex genetic and hormonal processes combine to give each person a unique set of male or female characteristics. Apart from rare cases of people born with a combination of both male and female biological characteristics, every human being is born either biologically male or biologically female.”
The bishops urge schools not to co-operate with the currently dominant form of treatment for students with gender dysphoria known as the “gender affirmative” model. This medical intervention often consists of using puberty blockers followed by cross-sex hormones, and for some, when they are older, gender reassignment surgery. “
“Many medical and healthcare professionals do not endorse this form of treatment, finding it medically and ethically controversial,” the bishops write. “Traditional medical ethics and Catholic Church teaching maintain that health professionals should not disable or destroy healthy bodily organs or systems, or perform and/or advise actions that render a person incapable of parenting a child. There are also serious concerns regarding a young person’s capacity to consent to these treatments, as well as concerns with the safety of using puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones on children and adolescents, particularly as many research studies continue to note the absence of reliable longitudinal data on this approach.”
The Bishops comment on a key issue of exaggerated gender stereotyping “Rigid cultural stereotypes of masculinity and femininity are … unfortunate and undesirable because they can create unreasonable pressure on children to present or behave in particular ways.
“There is much natural variation in how individuals experience their masculinity or femininity. In addition, children often experiment with various expressions of their sense of themselves as masculine or feminine.”
“Created and loved” suggest five key principles for schools that serve society with differing views – with some families choosing a more drastic response to a student questioning their gender identity compared with the biopsychosocial approach supported by the Catholic Bishops.
- Catholic schools should endeavour to be strong communities of faith where the love of God is witnessed through the care, respect and love shown by the staff to those in their care. An education promoting the whole person should be delivered within an environment of respectful relationships.
- School leaders should provide all staff with ongoing formation in Christian anthropology and human sexuality, promoting the Christian vision of the person as relational, made in the image of God, and flourishing only when a part of a community.
- School leaders should endeavour to be informed about and aware of relevant and current legislation, along with health and medical research data, in order to inform accurate and up-to-date decision-making.
- Staff should strive to establish a safe and trusting relationship with the student presenting with concerns about their identity, and with their family, and provide a nurturing and supportive
environment for the student to learn and mature in their journey
towards wholeness. - Catholic schools should always communicate openly and clearly with all parties involved
with the student, consistently observing the duty to protect the student’s privacy and maintain
confidentiality. School leaders in particular should act truthfully,
charitably, with goodwill and with absolute respect for the human dignity of the student, their
family, and every member of the community.
“Created and loved” is available at https://www.catholic.org.au/acbc-media/media-centre/media-releases-new/2366-bishops-support-catholic-schools-with-guide-on-gender-identity/file
UPDATE: The release today of Created and Loved: A guide for Catholic schools on identity and gender by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has been welcomed by Christian schools across Australia.
‘The thoughtful, comprehensively researched and deeply caring response in the Guide reflects the commitment to best practice in responding to these issues found across Christian schools’, said Mark Spencer, Director of Public Policy for Christian Schools Australia.
‘Valuing the worth and dignity of every person and looking at each student holistically, rather than seeking to define a person by any single characteristic allows genuine care for our students seeking to address all their needs’, he said