Policy / Oppose Taxpayer Funding for “Gender Transition” Surgeries and Procedures

Oppose Taxpayer Funding for “Gender Transition” Surgeries and Procedures

Southern Baptists have resolved that efforts to “gender transition” conflict with God’s good design and impede human flourishing. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 affirms that God “created [mankind] male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation.”

In recent years we have seen alarming increases in the number of individuals, many of whom are minors, undergoing physically damaging “gender transition” surgeries and procedures. In addition to encouraging people to depart from God’s good design for their sex, these treatments circumvent sound medical practice and result in lasting harm for those who receive them. Though many states have taken action to ban these procedures, it remains legal and widely available in much of the country.

Southern Baptists are firmly opposed to such “gender transitions” and the pervasive gender ideology promoting them. In the 2023 resolution “On Opposing Gender Transitions,” Southern Baptists resolved to condemn corporate medical providers that exploit minors through “gender transitions” and called on legislators to reverse and otherwise prevent “gender transitions” from being enabled or permitted to take place. Additionally, Southern Baptists affirmed a desire to defend “the free speech and conscience rights of religious believers from governmental efforts to coerce them into endorsing gender ideology.”

Southern Baptists have recognized that those seeking to “transition” are victims of the outworkings of the sexual revolution who are in desperate need of the gospel. The 2023 resolution goes on to say that Southern Baptists desire to “extend the love of Christ, who can save anyone who would call on His name” to those victims of “gender transitions” and provide them with “compassionate care and tender mercy.”

Why should Christians oppose the Equality Act

The Biden administration worked to use federal funds to directly fund and expand access to “gender transition” surgeries and procedures. For example, the Department of Defense issued new policies beginning in 2021 that provided pathways for members of the Armed Forces to obtain gender-affirming care. Thankfully, this policy and several others were overturned by the Trump administration.

For two consecutive years, the ERLC has successfully advocated for the inclusion of a new policy in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prohibit the military’s TRICARE insurance from covering “gender transitions” for minors, making this provision the first instance of federal law being used to restrict “gender transitions” in any capacity.

Yet, without permanent legislative action, executive actions undertaken to prohibit sweeping access to “gender transition” drugs and procedures can be easily undone. The ERLC urges Congress to pass the End Taxpayer Funding for Gender Experimentation Act, which offers a permanent solution. These steps must be taken to protect vulnerable victims of gender ideology and the consciences of taxpayers. The ERLC remains committed to representing Southern Baptists and proclaiming God’s good design for gender and sexuality in the public square.