Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:01 PM Aug 2016

Pope: It's 'Terrible' Children Taught They Can Choose Gender

Source: NY Times

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has lamented that children, as he puts it, are being taught at school that gender can be a choice.

Francis said: "Today, in schools they are teaching this to children -- to children! -- that everyone can choose their gender."

Without specifying, he blamed this on textbooks supplied by "persons and institutions who donate money."

Francis weighed in during a closed-door meeting last week with bishops from Poland during his pilgrimage there. The Vatican released a transcript Tuesday of those private remarks.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/08/02/world/europe/ap-eu-rel-vatican-pope-gender.html?_r=0

35 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Pope: It's 'Terrible' Children Taught They Can Choose Gender (Original Post) oberliner Aug 2016 OP
shut up, frankie. or say something useful about what you are going to do, FOR REAL, niyad Aug 2016 #1
Ya know what's worse than that? MynameisBlarney Aug 2016 #2
...because only doctors should choose it at birth for the child? Really? Festivito Aug 2016 #3
I actually had this exact argument with Catholics on the Catholic subreddit on Reddit... Humanist_Activist Aug 2016 #10
Even the pope is not infallible until he sits on his certain seat. Doctors. Who'd have known! Festivito Aug 2016 #24
Wish I could link to it, but they deleted the entire conversation thread, no surprise... Humanist_Activist Aug 2016 #33
Biology is not destiny, Frankie. nt msanthrope Aug 2016 #4
Donate money anoNY42 Aug 2016 #5
Hyperbole or misunderstanding? 63splitwindow Aug 2016 #6
I think its a misunderstanding on his part since no school i know of us is teaching what he claimed cstanleytech Aug 2016 #11
Fairfax School Board approves adding transgender topic to teens’ class oberliner Aug 2016 #14
Well thats news to me but whats the % of schools that are doing similar classes? cstanleytech Aug 2016 #31
Not sure what could be objectionable there, and to be honest, these issues should be... Humanist_Activist Aug 2016 #34
Oh for fucks sake Glamrock Aug 2016 #7
Being gay is not a choice, it's the way God made them IronLionZion Aug 2016 #8
I don't know if this is Catholic or Christian teaching but I think there's a belief... Humanist_Activist Aug 2016 #12
And there it is... angrychair Aug 2016 #9
Pope Francis : Making the Vatican Hate Again! bullwinkle428 Aug 2016 #13
I know something worse they are taught and his people are the ones teaching it. CBGLuthier Aug 2016 #15
Here is one of the biggest troubles of bridging this gap. Saviolo Aug 2016 #16
Great post oberliner Aug 2016 #17
Here is one of the biggest troubles of bridging this gap. AlbertCat Aug 2016 #28
Uh.....okay Android3.14 Aug 2016 #18
Francis unplugged isn't nearly as charming. GeorgeGist Aug 2016 #19
*sad trombone slide* Stuckinthebush Aug 2016 #20
For the Pope: Liberalagogo Aug 2016 #21
It's terrible that we're stuck with right wing bigots who think this way. Initech Aug 2016 #22
Catholic Church lets men (priests) wear dresses and live as women. McCamy Taylor Aug 2016 #23
lets men (priests) wear dresses AlbertCat Aug 2016 #32
The man has such a serious blind spot Warpy Aug 2016 #25
From the synod of Macon (6th cnetury) through Wikipedia. FigTree Aug 2016 #26
It's 'Terrible' Children Taught They Can Choose Gender AlbertCat Aug 2016 #27
this pope seems to swing both ways Angry Dragon Aug 2016 #29
Among the many reasons mrsv Aug 2016 #30
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; rug Aug 2016 #35

niyad

(113,593 posts)
1. shut up, frankie. or say something useful about what you are going to do, FOR REAL,
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:04 PM
Aug 2016

about the pedophile priests. and when are you going to apologize for the magdalene laundries, and the witch burnings?

Festivito

(13,452 posts)
3. ...because only doctors should choose it at birth for the child? Really?
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:07 PM
Aug 2016

It is a practice that if a child is born with both genders, the doctor will decide to cut one off. That is what I understand.

It would be wrong to let the child decide later?

I like this pope, but this is poop.

 

Humanist_Activist

(7,670 posts)
10. I actually had this exact argument with Catholics on the Catholic subreddit on Reddit...
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:16 PM
Aug 2016

that sounds a little redundant.

Anyways, the argument they used is that the Holy Spirit moved the doctors to make the correct choice for the child. They actually argued that the doctors are infallible in that instance. It was ridiculous. But that subreddit is just vile, they are rather open theocrats in the form of Catholic Monarchy, etc. extreme right wingers.

Festivito

(13,452 posts)
24. Even the pope is not infallible until he sits on his certain seat. Doctors. Who'd have known!
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 02:49 PM
Aug 2016

Either that or their response sounds laughably pathetic.

 

Humanist_Activist

(7,670 posts)
33. Wish I could link to it, but they deleted the entire conversation thread, no surprise...
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 03:32 PM
Aug 2016

the r/Catholicism subreddit is run and operated by radical right wing Catholics who are extremely orthodox. They border on Schism with Rome due to their opinions on Pope Francis, many view him as far too progressive.

They are, thankfully a small minority, but I've had users on there, who aren't trolling, state that Catholicism should be given a privileged place in the United States, same sex couple caught performing PDAs should be legally punished, with fines and/or jail, they don't think transgender is a thing at all, and will disregard any and all science having to do with society at all. They are fucking nuts. The sad part is they have quite a few member who, in their own words "suffer from same sex attraction".

 

anoNY42

(670 posts)
5. Donate money
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:09 PM
Aug 2016

"Without specifying, he blamed this on textbooks supplied by "persons and institutions who donate money." "

I presume he means they don't donate enough to his cult?

 

63splitwindow

(2,657 posts)
6. Hyperbole or misunderstanding?
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:10 PM
Aug 2016

Is encouraging everyone to be comfortable with who they are what he is talking about? Is encouraging everyone to respect everyone else what he is talking about? What, exactly, are the things children are being taught that he is referring to?

cstanleytech

(26,326 posts)
11. I think its a misunderstanding on his part since no school i know of us is teaching what he claimed
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:17 PM
Aug 2016

they are teaching.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
14. Fairfax School Board approves adding transgender topic to teens’ class
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:23 PM
Aug 2016

The Fairfax County School Board has approved expanding the school system’s sex education curriculum to include teaching teenagers in grades 7 through 10 about gender identity and transgender issues.

The 10-to-2 vote Thursday night came amid shouts of anger and howls of frustration from a raucous crowd that largely stood in opposition to the curriculum changes.

The board’s decision centered on changes to the Family Life Education curriculum across all grades. The revisions included adding lessons on gender issues for middle and high school students. But some of those who opposed the changes questioned whether the revisions would trickle down to the lower grades.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/school-board-approves-adding-transgender-issues-to-the-classroom/2015/06/26/d484c7c2-1c14-11e5-93b7-5eddc056ad8a_story.html

 

Humanist_Activist

(7,670 posts)
34. Not sure what could be objectionable there, and to be honest, these issues should be...
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 03:35 PM
Aug 2016

taught at much younger ages, it will help transgender children identify what they have issues with and allow for a safer learning environment to help them come out as needed. It could save a lot of mental strife for so many.

IronLionZion

(45,545 posts)
8. Being gay is not a choice, it's the way God made them
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:11 PM
Aug 2016

so wouldn't that be the same for transgender people? God made them the gender their spirit identifies with regardless of their physical body?

 

Humanist_Activist

(7,670 posts)
12. I don't know if this is Catholic or Christian teaching but I think there's a belief...
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:19 PM
Aug 2016

that the spirit, and hence your consciousness are genderless, so "gender identity" doesn't really exist at all to these people, you are the sex you were born as, period.

It makes no sense, contradicts what we know about neurobiology and psychology, but there you have it.

angrychair

(8,736 posts)
9. And there it is...
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:16 PM
Aug 2016

The Church we all know and love.
Like tRump, they just can't help themselves but say stupid shit.
While I liked some of the climate change and income inequality efforts of this guy, he is still no less a right wing religious nut job as the xians we have here in the US. Never forget who these people really are.

Saviolo

(3,283 posts)
16. Here is one of the biggest troubles of bridging this gap.
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:26 PM
Aug 2016

It's the same story with trans people as women getting abortions and gay men to some of the closed-minded and unempathetic people.

They feel like it's some lah-dee-dah "oh, I think I'm going to be a girl from now on instead of a boy, 'cause that seems neat" choice that trans people are undergoing. Just like the anti-choice people feel like a woman's choice to have an abortion is trivial to them. Just like they feel gay men are choosing to be gay for attention.

It's reductive, dismissive, and dehumanizing. Trans people struggle with their identities for years or decades. Many of them don't make it through the emotional turmoil. Many turn to drugs and alcohol and kill themselves slowly, many just kill themselves quickly instead of dealing with the rejection of friends and family, society, or their own personal feelings of dysphoria. Women struggle to come to terms with ending a pregnancy if that is a choice they have to make. It's not a weekend at a spa, dammit.

I've got trans friends, and I'm glad to have as many as I do, knowing how so many of them don't make it through. But the attitude of the religious and the right wing, and even lots of people I know who should know better just have no empathy to the struggles these people have within themselves and with society and its expectations.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
17. Great post
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:28 PM
Aug 2016

Wish more people on the other side were able to wrap their minds around this. Or at least make a good faith attempt to do so.

 

AlbertCat

(17,505 posts)
28. Here is one of the biggest troubles of bridging this gap.
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 03:25 PM
Aug 2016

IOW

They don't seem to get that transgender does not mean drag queen.

 

Android3.14

(5,402 posts)
18. Uh.....okay
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 01:43 PM
Aug 2016

You might wear a funny looking dress and a nice hat on Sundays, but do you really need a fainting couch?

Stuckinthebush

(10,847 posts)
20. *sad trombone slide*
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 02:00 PM
Aug 2016

Oh, man! And you were doing so well, Francis! Well we have some nice parting gifts for you.....

McCamy Taylor

(19,240 posts)
23. Catholic Church lets men (priests) wear dresses and live as women.
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 02:46 PM
Aug 2016

Ancient Rome had a cult to Cybele in which the lesser priests were literally castrated and then dressed and lived as women. The head of the cult was the only fertile male. Its traditions and customs were incorporated into the Catholic Church. In Catholic school, the nuns court the effeminate boys, favoring them over the more traditional boys, the same way they do the tomboy girls.

The whole Catholic clergy is all about gender issues. Got a gay, girly son? No problem! Make him a priest! Got a gay, tough daughter who can't stand boys! Send her to a nunnery!

 

AlbertCat

(17,505 posts)
32. lets men (priests) wear dresses
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 03:29 PM
Aug 2016

No they don't.

As a costume designer I must point out that a cassock is not a dress any more than a bou bou or a kimono.


All those vestments are really just (fancy) clothes from the early years after the Fall of the Roman Empire (which may be worse than a dress )

Warpy

(111,367 posts)
25. The man has such a serious blind spot
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 02:51 PM
Aug 2016

that I don't know how anyone can still take the Vatican seriously, especially since he's the "liberal" they've been waiting for.

Francis, children aren't being educated that way, they're telling their parents out of the blue when they're three or four that they're in the wrong kind of body. They're very definite about it and it doesn't go away by the time they're six or seven.

Other children are being taught to tolerate people who are different. That should be a good thing, even to you.

Get that, Francis? They're telling us about it years before they see any textbooks. You aren't expected to understand why this is so, you're just expected to accept it and stop dumping on little kids just because they're different.

FigTree

(347 posts)
26. From the synod of Macon (6th cnetury) through Wikipedia.
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 03:15 PM
Aug 2016

"Gregory writes the following in Latin, which is translated by Paul Halsall as:

There came forward at this Council a certain bishop who maintained that woman could not be included under the term 'man.' However, he accepted the reasoning of the other bishops and did not press his case, for the holy book of the Old Testament tells us that in the beginning, when God created man, 'Male and female he created them and called their name Adam,' which means earthly man; even so, he called the woman Eve, yet of both he used the word 'man.'[4]"

Have fun!

 

AlbertCat

(17,505 posts)
27. It's 'Terrible' Children Taught They Can Choose Gender
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 03:17 PM
Aug 2016

Well.... he chose "neuter".

Religion is ridiculous!

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
35. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female;
Tue Aug 2, 2016, 08:03 PM
Aug 2016

for you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:28

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Pope: It's 'Terrible' Chi...