Nancy introduced herself to me as a “gender-queer lesbian” after reading my post, Not In My Shower regarding Colorado Gov. Ritter’s signing of SB200 into law. In case you didn’t hear, SB200 is a bill that has stripped men, women, boys, and girls of their privacy in a locker room, a shower, or a bathroom by permitting 
members of the opposite sex, as well as cross-dressers, transsexuals, bisexuals–or people who are just curious about their sexuality–to use whichever restroom, locker room, or shower that they like. Put it this way, thanks to SB200: A man can use a woman’s restroom. A boy can use the girls locker room and showers at school. And a hefty fine awaits anyone who tries to prevent this from happening.
About a week ago Nancy offered a personal response that I thought was worthy of addressing in more detail. But first I want to thank Nancy for taking the time to join the conversation. I also want to thank her for her patience in waiting for my response. My family and I have been on vacation and I’m just now getting back to the blog.
Here’s Nancy’s comment:
“There seems to be a lot of fear here. This seems to be a place which is full of fear. I am a gender-queer lesbian, and I don’t understand why the people here are so afraid of people like me. Some trans people are sexual predators, just like some non-trans people are. Some gay people are sexual predators, just like some straight people are. It doesn’t mean we all are. You all aren’t.”
Nancy then quotes from the book of 1 John which says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear . . . the one who fears is not made perfect in love” (4:18).
I think it’s wonderful that Nancy is appealing to the Bible for wisdom on how to live and how to love. For me, the Bible is always my starting point, sort of like an owners manual on life. When I’m unsure of what to think about a moral issue, or which path to choose, or how to know if something is wrong or right, I want to discover what God has to say.
As you’ll see in a moment, I don’t think people are “so afraid” of people like Nancy. Rather, my take is that they feel a God-given need for modesty between the sexes. This might surprise you, but God did something in Genesis that gives us a clue as to one of the reasons why men and women today are not happy with the passage of SB200.
As you may know, Adam and Eve decided to ignore God’s instructions on how to live. God told them they could eat the fruit from any tree in the Garden of Eden–except for one. However, they decided to give into the temptation to eat from that tree. By refusing to listen to God, sin entered the world and paradise changed. Notice what immediately happened:
The first couple became acutely aware of their nakedness. Out of the sudden felt need for modesty, they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Here’s the interesting part. God personally made clothes out of animal skins for this couple. In so doing, God acknowledged the appropriate need for modesty between the sexes and for who sees you naked.
Ah, but weren’t Adam and Eve married? Yes.
So what’s the big deal, you say?
Think about it: If some degree of modesty is in order between a husband and a wife, how much more is there an inherent need for modesty between people of the opposite sex who are not married? That’s a big reason why men, women, boys, and girls are upset by this sweeping invasion of their privacy. The other concern is that sexual predators–of all stripes–may use this open door policy to their advantage.
Thanks again for your thoughts, Nancy.
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