A Catholic university professor in Ohio, Esther Brownsmith, argues that the Bible supports gender transitions and portrays gender as a spectrum, citing examples from scripture.
She believes that scripture and trans rights are not at odds and calls for support of society’s vulnerable members.
In contrast, the Catholic Church teaches the binary view of gender as laid out in the first chapter of Genesis.
“Even God is sometimes described with feminine language, as a midwife or nursing mother,” Brownsmith wrote. “Yes, the Bible was written in a patriarchal time, but it recognizes that people reimagined and reshaped their gender identities back then—just like they do today.”
“As a professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Dayton, I believe that scripture and trans rights are not at odds. To the contrary: the Bible calls for us to support society’s most vulnerable members, and that call has rarely been more urgent,” she wrote.
“Most Americans agree that religion should not dictate public policy, but these proposed rules are rooted in ingrained religious biases about gender roles,” she said. “Those biases are unethical and unbiblical. Our trans neighbors are radiant gifts of God, just like Joseph and Deborah, and they are terrified by our government trying to legislate them out of existence.”
Brownsmith’s views align with the university’s stance on academic freedom and fostering a community where all members, including LGBTQ+ individuals, feel welcomed and respected.
“We respect the academic freedom of our faculty and students to pursue their research and express their views,” University of Dayton officials said.
“Views expressed by our faculty should not be construed as representing the opinions of the University. While society at large will continue to debate important questions of gender and sexual orientation, as a Catholic, Marianist university we will make space for the intellectual contributions and scholarly explorations of our faculty and students.”
“The University is guided by our Catholic and Marianist values, including to ‘honor the intrinsic value and dignity of all people,'” they added. “Our goal is to foster a campus community where all members, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, feel welcomed, respected, safe, and valued as full members of the community.”
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