Diocesan Gender Guidelines Stress ‘Truth,’ But Whose Truth?
An Indiana bishop has issued guidelines forbidding diocesan ministries from using youths’ preferred pronouns and acknowledging non-binary or transgender identities.
Bishop Kevin Rhoades
Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese set forth these binding policies for diocesan institutions including parishes and schools in the latter part of 2024. The directives state that “no person may designate a ‘preferred pronoun’ in speech or writing…nor are diocesan institutions to permit such a designation. Only pronouns that accurately reflect a person’s God-given sexual identity shall be used when addressing or referring to that person.”
Moreover, all individuals are required to follow the dress code, use the bathrooms and locker rooms, and participate in single-sex activities (such as athletics, retreats, etc.) “that accord with their God-given sexual identity.” The policy also outlaws the taking of puberty blockers or other medical gender “interventions” on diocesan grounds.
Local media reported that Rhoades commented on the new directives:
“At the same time as we lovingly accompany [youth], we also have to be faithful to our teachings and that’s where some of the policies come in.” He emphasized that these policies are consistent with practices of the Catholic Church, and that they were released for the purpose of transparency. Rhoades said “We have to say [this] upfront, … it’s really not fair if they enroll thinking we are going to go along with gender ideology, which we are not.”
The policies are outlined and explained in an 11-page document, entitled “Formation of Young People in Catholic Christian Anthropology and Pastoral Accompaniment of Those Who Experience Gender Incongruence or Same-Sex Attraction.” This text argues that humans are created with complementary male and female sexual identities ordained by God, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Second Vatican Council, recent writings from the U.S. bishops conference, and papal encyclicals from both Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.
Though the document urges a pastoral approach, and also quotes Pope Francis saying that “love and truth are inseparable,” we need to ask what truths, exactly, should inform how the Church loves LGBTQ+ youth? In several places, the document emphasizes the importance of “listening to their stories,” suggesting that perhaps youths’ own experiences could be one source of truth. Yet the document goes on to blame youth’s ideas of gender and sexuality on the “influence of popular culture, the internet, social media, and the entertainment industry,” effectively dismissing LGBTQ+ experiences as a source of truth.
Minimizing LGBTQ+ viewpoints in this way is patronizing, and incompatible with true listening.
These guidelines also recommend that ministries provide compassionate pastoral care and affirmation of LGBTQ+ youths’ dignity. It calls upon ministers and staff to address bullying, and to refer youth to appropriate clinical support that is “faithful to authentic Catholic Christian anthropology”, with the caveat that “for those who are minors this should only be done with the permission of their parents.”
The diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend’s one-sided message response to LGBTQ+ youth leaves no room for nuanced pastoral response to the needs of the people it purports to serve with love. It also backs up these policies by appealing to a monolithic “Catholic Christian anthropology.” The diocese would do well to listen to its LGBTQ+ youth with humility, allowing their insights and experiences to inform a true Christian anthropology.
–Âriell Watson Simon, New Ways Ministry, January 13, 2025
Amazing. The science is out there but these bishops don’t want to acknowledge it. The God given sexuality is trans and gay also. They will do more harm and cause more psychological trauma by this policy. How dare they purport to know the mind of God by saying basically a trans child is some kind of malady. The child knows how they feel and who they are deep inside. What about people who suffer from klienfelters syndrome, turner’s syndrome, androgen insensitivity syndrome and the intersex ? Pathetic really.
It is one thing for a few church leaders to have this misguided mindset, devoid of understanding of gender diversity… It is another for leaders to call clergy, school staff, parents, youth ministers, etc. to follow suit. Kids should not be subjected to this kind of sanctioned bullying and coordinated psychological abuse in their k-12 years. In the 80’s and 90’s kids like me were raised in cisnormative environments because the adults in our lives didn’t know better. In 2025 everybody should know better. Listen to trans adults who survived this kind of upbringing. Protect trans kids. Allies, this is where we need you to step up and say no to rhetoric and policies that harm trans and gender nonconforming community members. There is nothing truthful or loving about the Bishop’s stance.
I wonder where the bishops get the authority to make statements about sex and sexuality, must be their personal experience as tthere is nothing in Scripture.
If I continue to remain in the Church, it will only be due to the principled rebuttals as exhibited by Ariel Watson Simon in this piece, and by the leadership in dissent offered by New Ways Ministry.