U.S. Bishops’ Committee Surgical Interventions to Change Sex Characteristics Not Morally Justified

Introduction

The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee released a statement on March 20, asserting that surgical, chemical, or other interventions aimed at changing a person’s sex characteristics are not morally justified. The committee expressed concern about the range of technological interventions advocated for individuals with gender dysphoria or gender incongruence. They emphasized the need for particular care in protecting children and adolescents who are not capable of providing informed consent for such procedures. The committee also highlighted the moral limits to technological manipulation of the human body and stressed the importance of respecting the fundamental order and finality of the human person.

Technological Interventions and Moral Limits

The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee acknowledges the significant advancements in technology that have brought about cures for many human maladies. However, they assert that there are moral limits to the technological manipulation of the human body. The committee emphasizes that the human person, body and soul, has a fundamental order and finality that must be respected. They argue that neither patients, physicians, researchers, nor any other individuals have unlimited rights over the body and must respect the order and finality inscribed in the embodied person.

Concerns about Gender Dysphoria Treatments

The statement from the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee specifically addresses the concerns surrounding technological interventions for individuals with gender dysphoria or gender incongruence. The committee expresses concern about the range of technological interventions advocated in society as treatments for these conditions. They caution against relying on approaches that do not respect the fundamental order of the human person, as such approaches will ultimately create further problems rather than solving them. The committee argues that any technological intervention that does not accord with the fundamental order of the human person as a unity of body and soul is ultimately harmful.

Protecting Children and Adolescents

The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee emphasizes the need for particular care in protecting children and adolescents who are still maturing and incapable of providing informed consent for surgical procedures or treatments. They highlight the use of chemical puberty blockers, which arrest the natural course of puberty and prevent the development of some sex characteristics. The committee argues that these interventions should not be used on children and adolescents, as they interfere with the natural development process and can have long-term consequences.

Pastoral Issues and Transgender Individuals

While the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee recognizes that there are pastoral issues that need to be addressed regarding individuals who identify as transgender or nonbinary, they state that these issues cannot be fully addressed in the current document. The committee acknowledges that many people are sincerely looking for ways to respond to real problems and suffering but cautions against approaches that do not respect the fundamental order of the human person.

Catholic Health Care Services’ Role

The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee states that Catholic health care services are called to provide a model of promoting the authentic good of the human person. They assert that all individuals collaborating in Catholic health care ministry must make every effort to provide the best medical care and compassionate accompaniment to all patients, regardless of their condition. The committee emphasizes that Catholic health care services aim to carry on the healing ministry of Jesus, providing healing at every level, including physical, mental, and spiritual.

Repairing Defects in the Body

The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee recognizes the validity of medical intervention that uses available technology to repair defects in the body caused by injury or ailment. They argue that such interventions show respect for the fundamental order of the body and commend individuals for caring for their bodies. However, the committee also emphasizes that the benefits of these interventions must be proportionate to the burdens involved and must be undertaken with the correct intentions and in the correct circumstances.

Church Teachings on Sexual Difference

The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee references numerous Church documents and the teachings of several popes, including Pope Francis, on the importance of sexual difference and its deep inscription in man and woman. They argue that the appreciation of the body as male or female is necessary for self-awareness and for encounters with others who are different from oneself. The committee highlights Pope Francis’ teaching that young people, in particular, need to accept their own bodies as they were created and reject the idea of absolute power over their bodies.

Response from the National Catholic Bioethics Center

The ethicists of the National Catholic Bioethics Center join the U.S. bishops in reiterating that Catholic anthropology and moral teaching are incompatible with medicalized mutilations that hide behind the misnomer of “gender-affirming care.” They argue that promoting incorrect gender identities through transitioning interventions rejects the dignity of the body and leads to heartache and deeper suffering. The ethicists emphasize that such interventions often result in a lifetime of destructive chemicals and surgeries.

Conclusion

The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee’s statement emphasizes the moral limits to technological interventions that aim to change a person’s sex characteristics. They argue that these interventions are not morally justified and ultimately harm the human person. The committee urges particular care in protecting children and adolescents who are not capable of providing informed consent for surgical procedures or treatments. They highlight the importance of respecting the fundamental order and finality of the human person and assert that Catholic health care services should provide the best medical care and compassionate accompaniment to all patients.