Sandie Peggie is standing up to gender ideology. Christians must do the same

Across the English speaking world, the gender agenda is back in the news. But the trajectory of the debate in America couldn’t be more different to here in Britain. In the US, newly re-elected President Donald Trump has brought gasps of relief — or horror, depending on your viewpoint — by declaring that there are only two sexes and putting an end to state complicity in gender ideology. No more will American children be mutilated by ‘gender reassignment’ surgery. No longer will those born male be allowed to compete in female sports teams. Federal employees have been ordered to remove preferred pronouns from their email signatures.

The cost of confusion

On this side of the Atlantic however, the British public sector is still deep in the weeds of gender ideology. In Darlington, a group of eight nurses are suing their NHS trust after being forced to share a changing room with a natal male who now identifes as a woman. And in a frankly extraordinary employment tribunal taking place in Scotland this week, a 50-year-old female nurse is challenging her dismissal from Fife Hospital on the grounds of bullying. Sandie Peggie’s ‘crime’ was to object to being forced to share a changing room with a transwoman — in other words, male — doctor.

The court transcripts read like a scene from George Orwell’s 1984. Under cross examination, Peggie was asked what made her believe that Dr Beth — formerly Theodore — Upton, standing six foot tall with a receding hairline, might be male? On being questioned by Peggie’s barrister, Dr Upton — a medical professional — revealed he believes he has a “female body” and that biological sex is not real.

Gender ideology is a false teaching that has enabled manipulative men to prey on vulnerable women

Women like Peggie, and many others, have paid a considerable personal price for standing up for the truth. I have met more people than I can count who have faced job losses, financial ruin and even arrest for refusing to agree that men can become women. Previous generations would have laughed out loud at the idea that a person born with male genitalia is actually female, or indeed any of the other imaginary ‘genders’ that have been invented in recent years. But gender ideology isn’t a joke.

Thousands of children have been confused, harmed and estranged from their families by the idea that they may have been “born in the wrong body”. Women have been injured, assaulted and their dignity violated by being forced to share previously female-only spaces and activities with men.

And the biggest casualty of all has been the truth.

Perhaps one day, British politicians will, like Trump, repeal the various pieces of legislation that have embedded gender ideology in statute. But gender ideology hasn’t primarily become entrenched in our culture and institutions because of our laws. Rather it is fear that has allowed this false belief to gain a foothold. The vast majority of people in the UK do not support the idea of males in women’s sports or spaces, or being allowed to change the sex marker on one’s birth certificate. But after seeing what happened to Peggie and others, many people do not want to risk saying what they really think.

How should Christians respond?

How should Christians respond? There remain many believers who are confused about this issue. On the one hand, we know the Bible tells us that God created just two types of human being, male and female (Genesis 1:27), and that he was pleased with what he made (Genesis 1:31). On the other hand, we want to follow Jesus’ example of compassion and love to those in distress.

Of course, kindness is a virtue, but if being kind means suppressing or avoiding the truth, is that really kindness at all? Jesus was kind and gentle, but he never flinched from telling the truth, even when that involved harsh public criticism of individuals. It may be that some people who have been deeply influenced by gender ideology sincerely believe that they really are the opposite sex, just as anorexics really believe they are fat. But it doesn’t follow that it’s right or compassionate to pretend to agree with them.

If Britain’s four million practising Christians refuse to submit to gender ideology, it will lose much of its power over our nation

Jesus says the truth - not being nice - “will set you free” (John 8:32). Gender ideology is a false teaching that has enabled manipulative men to prey on vulnerable women and leads children astray from their God-given identity. (If you want to know more about where these destructive ideas came from, I recommend reading Trans: When ideology meets reality by Helen Joyce.)

So what should be our response as Christians? Jesus told us to be salt and light in the world  (Matthew 5:13-16). Often this is interpreted as being a ‘good neighbour’ by giving materially to those in need and refraining from gossip at work. But letting your light “shine before others” also means choosing to speak the truth publicly to overcome darkness. And to be ‘salty’ means to be a preservative, to actively prevent evil from spoiling what is good.

Christians are called to fear God not man (Matthew 10:26), to be strong and courageous and speak truth. As mature disciples, we can surely discern the difference between courage and truthfulness, and rudeness or antagonism. We don’t need to wait for politicians to act. If Britain’s four million or so practising Christians decide as one to refuse to submit to gender ideology, it will lose much of its power over our nation. We know there will be a cost to speaking out but that should not deter us. For “the Lord watches over those who love him” (Psalm 145:20).