These questions are intended to stimulate thought and discussion. They are particularly designed for Sunday school and small groups.
1) How would your life be different if, like Jennifer Pagonis, you were born male with male internal sex organs but with female external sex organs?
a) If you had a child born with an intersex condition, where would you turn for help and assistance in making life-changing decisions for your child? Would you turn to the Church for help? Why?
2) What determines whether an individual is male or female?
3) Does the reality of intersex conditions prove that mankind is not biologically intended to be male or female? Why?
4) What are examples of something failing to develop according to its biological intent?
a) Was Jaxon Buell biologically intended to be born missing most of his brain? Are intersex individuals biologically intended to be born with ambiguous sex organs?
b) How should we classify someone who is born missing most of his brain? Is Jaxon Buell a different classification of human? How is this analogous to individuals born intersex?
5) If an intersex woman (46, XX) is biologically female despite her appearance as being male, is she truly female? Why?
a) Can we tell an intersex woman (46, XX) who is biologically female despite her appearance as being male that she cannot be genuinely female based upon her appearance? Why?
b) If an intersex woman is female because of her DNA despite her appearance as a male, then does a biological male remain a male because of his DNA despite his appearance as a female due to sex-reassignment surgery?
6) Could it be that intersex individuals prove the immutability of gender—that abnormalities and physical appearance are not determinative of gender? Why?
7) Do you agree with the blogger EvolutionistX’s statement, “Reality doesn’t care what you call it”? Why?
a) How should this influence the way we talk about transgenderism?
8) Why is an individual no less valuable because they are born intersex?
a) Did God create intersex individuals? Did He create them intersex? Why?
9) If God does not make mistakes when He creates, then why do some people fail to develop according to their biological intent?
10) What are examples of the corrupting influence of sin upon creation?
a) Why does God allow sin to have a corrupting influence on His creation?
b) Would we be better off if our sin corrupted us spiritually—it separated us from God and His purpose for our lives—but it did not corrupt us physically—it produced no physical abnormalities or deformities? Why?
11) Do you agree with Pastor Brad Neese’s statement that we are all broken people in need of a Savior? Why?
a) Is it unloving or demeaning to tell someone they are broken? Why?
b) Is it unloving or demeaning to pretend like a broken individual isn’t truly broken? Why?
12) When God redeems our bodies, will we be free from gender? Why?
a) Is gender a corrupting influence of sin upon our bodies? Why?
b) Do you believe there will be a purpose for gender in heaven? Why?