A local survey taken in 2000 estimated the existence of 50,000 transsexuals in the country with Muslims transsexuals forming the majority (The Star, 21 Jan 2001).
 The local term for male transsexuals is mak nyah for males and pak nyah for females. In 1983, the Conference of Rulers in Malaysia decided that a fatwa prohibiting sex-change operation should be imposed on all Muslims, except in the case of a hermaphrodite. Although there are no official religious rulings from other faith communities, the groups have staunchly opposed sex change.
In November 2004, a judge dismissed an application by a 33-year-old who wanted to become legally male after a sex-change surgery, and ruled that biological characteristics were set at birth and that biological, rather than psychological tests, determined gender identity (BBC, 2004-11-5). Currently there is no law covering gender reassignment in Malaysia.
Responding to a recent high-profile marriage in Kuching between Joshua Beh and Jessica Chung who underwent a sex-change operation to become a woman, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said that Malaysia laws do not allow its citizens to change their gender in their identity card despite a sex-change operation (The Star, 15 Nov 2005).
His deputy Datuk Tan Chai Ho told Bernama that the marriage was “invalid” as the Marriage and Divorce Reform Act 1976 does not allow marriage between two people of the same sex, even if one of them has undergone sex change surgery (14 Nov 2005). Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stressed that the government does not condone same-sex marriages (The Sun, 23 Nov 2005).
CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
From the perspective of many transsexuals, the Church may have appeared to be strong on condemnation and weak on compassion. While resting on the conviction that God has revealed His intentions for human life in the Bible, the evangelical churches still have much to offer.
Simply highlighting Deut 22:5 (prohibition on cross-dressing), 23:1 (prohibition on emasculation) or 1 Cor 6:9–11 (in regards to effeminate behavior), and applying them on transsexuals can result in a failure to do justice to a responsible exegesis, reasonable hermeneutics and application.
The context of Deut. 22:5 intends to maintain the sanctity of the distinctiveness between the two created sexes, while the context of 23:1 supports and affirms the positive value of sex and that sexuality and spirituality are not in opposite to one another. Regardless, all these verses cannot be read in isolation from the rest of the Scripture. To consider the issue of transsexuality wholistically, Christians need to view the whole Scripture in light of creation, fall, redemption and final restoration.
The doctrine of creation shows that our sexual identity is given by God. It also emphasizes the basic and clear distinction between men and women. It sets out the foundation for Christian understanding of marriage as one of God’s gracious gifts to humanity and that relationships are heterosexual, monogamous and open to the possibility of procreation.
The doctrine of the fall tells us about the effects of sin on creation as a whole. Adam and Eve’s willful disobedience had resulted in the distortion in God’s pattern for living, including biological abnormalities and psychological disorders. We recognize and acknowledge these aspects of our fallen condition and seek to bring our tarnished lives in line with God’s will and purpose. We believe that putting things right is central to how God is involved in His creation after the fall. Therefore the doctrine of redemption is important in that those who suffer the effects of sin may find hope, a hope that is based on the healing work of Jesus Christ and His offer of abundant life (John 10:10).
The doctrine of final restoration cautions that our present experience of God’s healing work is often necessarily partial and incomplete. The fulfillment of our redemption is in store in the future existence beyond the present world. For Christians, transsexuality poses significant challenges, both moral and theological. In practice, it is difficult to maintain a balanced approach that maintains scriptural convictions with a compassionate response. Yet, it is important to stress that insensitive and ill-advised treatment of transsexuals can prove devastating and dangerous. There is no general formula for dealing with transsexuals, for each person is an individual with a unique personality and history.
“The need for patience, long-term commitment and the active seeking of God for wisdom by all concerned cannot be over emphasised” (EAPC). For Christians, “the emphasis is on both psychological and physical wholeness in the hope that the transsexual people will of themselves produce the desired psychosomatic unity, more truly reflects a biblical view of holistic health” (EAPC). Redemption and restoration begin within the church community and the challenge demands compassion, knowledge and wisdom.
AFFRIMATION & RECOMMENDATIONS
(an extract from EAPC 2000 report)
NECF Malaysia respects individual rights and diverse perspectives on transsexuality but remains steadfast on biblical principles.
•We affirm God’s love and concern for all humanity, and believe that God creates human beings as either male or female. Authentic change from a person’s birth sex is not possible and an ongoing transsexual lifestyle is incompatible with God’s will as revealed in Scripture and in creation. After careful consideration, we affirm and recommend the following:
•We recognise that all of us are sinners, and that the only real hope for sinful people, whether heterosexual, homosexual or transsexual, is for wholeness that is found only in Jesus Christ.
•We deeply regret any hurt caused to transsexuals by any unwelcoming or rejecting attitudes on the part of the Church. We call upon evangelical congregations to genuinely welcome and accept transsexuals, while acknowledging the need for parallel teaching, wisdom and discernment.
•We affirm that monogamous heterosexual marriage is the form of partnership uniquely intended by God for sexual relationship between men and women. We would resist church service for the marriage or blessing of transsexual partnerships on scriptural grounds.
•We appeal to the medical and psychiatric professions to prioritise research into the root psychological, social, spiritual and physical causes of ‘transsexuality’ for the purpose of holistic treatment
•We commend and encourage transsexuals who have determined to restore their birth sex identity as a result of biblical conviction, and/or who have decided to resist gender reassignment surgery. We would seek prayerfully to support their reorientation through the grace of God.
•We prayerfully affirm and encourage those family members who are subjected to the impact of transsexuality and would seek to support them pastorally.
•We commend the work of those organisations, pastoral workers and churches that seek to help and support transsexuals.
•We in principle are opposed to civil discrimination against transsexuals, for example in respect of human rights and employment.
(Note: This is an extract. The complete article is available on the NECF website under the Research Commission section.)
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