“We can’t know whether a child is a boy or a girl based on their genetics or their anatomy.” Really?
Now, if such a statement leaves you shaking your head, you’re not alone—but that is the argument put forward by two genetic counselors in a recent article that begins by introducing gender reveal parties this way: “Gender reveals are a testament to how society is squeezing children into one of two predetermined gender boxes before they are even born.”
Yes, you can certainly see the authors’ bias right from the beginning of their article!
This article highlights the two ways parents can know if their baby is a boy or a girl before birth—the ultrasound at 20 or so weeks that looks at anatomy or the more recently developed blood screen, done as early as 10 weeks gestational age, that looks at the baby’s chromosomes.
The authors write,
This blood test is more informally called noninvasive prenatal testing, or NIPT. Many people refer to it as “the gender test.” But this blood test cannot determine gender.
Now, the blood test looks at the baby’s chromosomes—looking for XX for a girl and XY for a boy. So why do these genetic counselors argue that this test can’t “determine gender”? Well, it’s all about their worldview. Their main argument comes down to this:
Sex and gender are often used interchangeably, but they represent entirely different concepts.
In our modern era, where feelings determine truth, sex and gender have been separated out from one another as if they are two different things. Just as marriage has been redefined, so gender is being redefined. People argue that sex is your biology but gender is your feelings and self-expression (your identity) and that those aren’t always the same. In other words, because the baby can’t tell you subjective feelings about self yet, you can’t actually know whether your baby is a boy or a girl—so instead of a gender reveal party, “perhaps opt simply for a celebration that leaves space for your child to one day define who they are.”
Notice the belief behind all of this—we are self-made people who can shape ourselves however we want, and our bodies tell us nothing about ourselves or our design. It’s just another way of trying to be our own gods instead of recognizing that there is a Creator God who defines us and that how he’s made us (i.e., our biology) tells us a lot about our design and our purpose! And because of our sin nature (e.g., Jeremiah 17:9), we can’t trust our feelings! We must judge them against the absolute authority of God’s Word.
The modern gender identity movement is a rejection of God as Creator, based on the belief that our feelings determine truth and we can do a better job defining ourselves than God did. It’s just another twisted version of Satan’s lie from the garden: “Did God actually say . . . ?” (Genesis 3:1).
But that’s not all. The authors also claim that “sex chromosomes don’t exactly determine someone’s sex. Other chromosomes, hormone receptors, neural pathways, reproductive organs and environmental factors contribute to sex determination as well.”
Now, the human body is immensely complicated and interconnected so, yes, as a general rule, everything impacts everything when it comes to the human body (we are a harmonious whole when it comes to biology after all—which is incredible evidence of the Creator!). But most of what the authors mention—hormone receptors, neural pathways, reproductive organs—these are all influenced and determined by . . . your sex chromosomes! AiG’s geneticist, Dr. Georgia Purdom, explains this in one of her articles.
The normal complement of human chromosomes is 23 pairs—22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes. Females have two X chromosomes, and males have one X and one Y chromosome. The sex-determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY) is a gene that inhibits female anatomical growth and induces the formation of male anatomy about 6–8 weeks after fertilization in the womb. This is not to say that the baby does not have a gender/sex up to this point but rather that it is not apparent from an outside appearance until that point.
Most people are aware of the distinct anatomical differences between males and females and how those differences make it possible for men and women to procreate. However, there are many physiological differences as well. Most of these result from differences in sex hormones (e.g., testosterone and estrogen/progesterone) and their levels, which are determined by the differences in sex chromosomes.
In other words, the authors’ argument is misleading—your sex chromosomes absolutely do determine your sex/gender. But what about the (rare) condition the article also highlights—intersex? Again, Dr. Georgia Purdom explains:
In all these cases, we see that individuals are either male or female based on their sex chromosomes (or portions thereof), so there are only two genders/sexes. And every person born is either one or the other. Many times parents and doctors may not even be aware that children have these disorders at birth. These disorders present difficult situations in a sin-cursed world, and parents, children, and doctors need support and compassion as they face challenging decisions.
It should be noted that studies of individuals with gender/sex abnormalities have shown that they typically do not struggle with gender identity or homosexuality (less than 1%). So even in a situation in which there might be a legitimate underlying biological reason for confusion about gender or sexual attraction, there doesn’t appear to be any connection between biology and those struggles.
To put it bluntly: No Y, no guy! Where there’s a Y, it’s a guy.
Intersex is the result of an abnormality in a fallen world—and we shouldn’t argue from the abnormal and rare to the normal and common.
And, of course, it’s worth noting that the vast majority of people will not feel any incongruence between their biology and their feelings and even those that do will likely grow out of it (unless pushed along the “transgender highway” of social transition, hormones, and surgeries). True “gender dysphoria” is very rare, and most of what we are seeing today is not that—it’s social conditioning, peer groups all transitioning together, pornography addiction creating grotesque fetishes, and social media contagions.
But I do want to point to a real danger with these prenatal tests that these authors didn’t mention. No, parents knowing early whether they are welcoming a baby boy or girl into their family is not a danger. Rather, the danger is that these tests also tell parents if their child is at risk for a genetic condition. Now, such knowledge is not in itself inherently wrong—it can prepare parents and medical teams so the child can receive the best care possible at birth. But sadly, the danger is in what many parents do with the information.
Many parents who receive an abnormal screening result will (often on the advice or pressure of their doctor) choose to have an abortion and end that child’s life. It’s murder, and it’s eugenics—ending the lives of those with disabilities or genetic conditions. Again, it’s humans playing God and saying, “This person deserves to live, but this one doesn’t.” It’s evil, and it’s a massive danger when it comes to these prenatal tests!
Yes, we’re created male and female by God, in his image. And every person—regardless of their sex or their level of ability—is fearfully and wonderfully made by God.
