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The Church’s teachings are premised on the “complementarity” between men and women, and that the primary purpose of marriage is procreation. This position would seem to oppose any hormonal or surgical procedures that would effectively result in sterilizat

The Church’s teachings are premised on the “complementarity” between men and women, and that the primary purpose of marriage is procreation. This position would seem to oppose any hormonal or surgical procedures that would effectively result in sterilizat

The Church’s teachings are premised on the “complementarity” between men and women, and that the primary purpose of marriage is procreation. This position would seem to oppose any hormonal or surgical procedures that would effectively result in sterilization – is this premise ill-founded?

Much of the Church’s rejection of “gender theology” is premised on the “complementarity” of male and female sexual organs, combined with their role in procreation. This dominant view of human sexuality is based upon a presumption of a “natural” purpose of sexually grounded procreation. This view holds that any conflict between one’s assigned sex and gender identity (i.e. gender dysphoria) is sinful and contrary to what God has ordained. It also suggests that marriage is primarily focused on the conjugal act to the detriment of all of the other ways that couples live together in faithful community. Thus the natural progression of this thinking is that any form of hormonal or surgical changes that effectively result in “sterilization” are contrary to the purpose of marriage and a threat to family life.

However, modern science has affirmed that gender dysphoria is an anxiety disorder and those afflicted are at increased risk of stress, isolation, anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, and suicide. Treatment may include psychotherapy and support of one’s preferred gender through hormone therapy, gender expression and role, or surgeries. Yet the Church says little about reproductive control, although opposed to them, in the form of birth control pills, male vasectomies and female tubal ligation. In sum, treatments to preserve one’s mental and physical well-being should be favored over the desire for procreation.