Special Feature
Dignitas Infinita, Gender Theory
Dignitas Infinita ("Infinite Dignity") highlights several relevant grave violations of human dignity. This month, we focus on gender theory.
Pope Francis refers to gender theory or ideology as a danger because it attempts to treat our bodies as objects for manipulation rather than gifts to be received. Dignitas Infinita begins its reflection on gender theory by affirming that those struggling with gender dysphoria and “every person, regardless of sexual orientation, ought to be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration, while ‘every sign of unjust discrimination’ is to be carefully avoided, particularly any form of aggression and violence.”
The declaration teaches that “[sexual] difference is not only the greatest imaginable difference but is also the most beautiful and most powerful of them. In the male-female couple … becomes the source of that miracle that never ceases to surprise us: the arrival of new human beings in the world.” Human life, body and soul, is a gift from God to be nurtured and treasured. Therefore, “desiring a personal self-determination, as gender theory prescribes, apart from this fundamental truth that human life is a gift, amounts to a concession to the age-old temptation to make oneself God.”
Paragraph 59 clarifies, “It needs to be emphasized that ‘biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated.’ Therefore, all attempts to obscure the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman are to be rejected: ‘We cannot separate the masculine and the feminine from God’s work of creation, which is prior to all our decisions and experiences, and where biological elements exist which are impossible to ignore.’ Only by acknowledging and accepting this difference in reciprocity can each person fully discover themselves, their dignity, and their identity.”
The dignity of men and women is equivalent in both body and soul. Dignitas Infinita states, “the body serves as the living context in which the interiority of the soul unfolds and manifests itself.” As Pope Francis affirmed, “we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place, accepting it and respecting it as it was created.” Therefore, the declaration asserts, “any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception. This is not to exclude the possibility that a person with genital abnormalities that are already evident at birth or that develop later may choose to receive the assistance of healthcare professionals to resolve these abnormalities. However, in this case, such a medical procedure would not constitute a sex change in the sense intended here.”
Pope Francis also frequently critiques gender theory’s use in foreign aid or models of development, calling it “ideological colonization.” Such “colonization” departs from international human rights norms while seeking to cancel the crucial differences between men and women richly expressed in local cultures. We find this often in wealthier countries or outside organizations imposing gender theory within offers of economic or community development. Instead, Catholic Social Teaching prescribes an obligation of more affluent countries to give development aid to poorer countries and communities that provides for the integral human development of all.
Seeking to uphold the dignity of all humans made in ‘the image of God,’ the Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of:
- House Bill 68 (enacted into law), which bans gender transition drugs and surgeries for minors and prohibits biological males from competing in female sports.
Reflection: Throughout the Bible, God urges His people not to acclimate to the egoistic standards of this world but to abide in His truth and justice. And, as they continued to stray, He persisted in calling them to conversion, culminating in sending His beloved Son into the world. In what ways do we exchange God’s truths for our counterfeit version out of fear or thinking we know best? How do we perceive and treat others who continue to stray? Do we meet them with love and mercy while inviting them to live in God’s truth?
To see more reflections on Dignitas Infinita (on Human Dignity) visit: ohiocathconf.org/humandignity
