Reddit reviews Keeley

Thank you so much for this post. This is exactly what I hoped "Keeley" would create--an honest discussion about the science and the spirituality of these issues.

I appreciate your acknowledgement of the numerous factors that come into play when determining an individual's sex. Indeed, there are far more than were mentioned in this post. Hormonal, genetic, and environmental factors can all lead to an individual with any combination of male and female characteristics in their brain, genitalia, and body structure.

In the LDS faith, we start with a truth claim that is either true or it isn't. That claim is this: "All human beings--male and female--are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son OR daughter of Heavenly parents, and as such, each has a divine nature or destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual pre-mortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose." (The Family: A Proclamation To The World, emphasis added).

We either started as spirit sons and daughters with eternal genders that will be ours for eternity, or we didn't. We either have the potential to become divine creators ourselves, which circumstance would necessitate our genders be eternal because of the role of literally begetting our own spirit children one day, or we don't. We either have one or the other gender spirit, or we don't.

If you don't believe that spirits have gender, that we came to this Earth with those eternal genders, and that we'll leave with them, then you are absolutely right. Pigeon-holing those born with physically ambiguous traits is very unproductive and perhaps even harmful.

If you do believe that spirits have eternal genders, then teaching this concept is liberating and exalting. It allows the individual to overcome his circumstances to realize his divine potential. His eternal gender transcends the physical condition he lives day-to-day, and allows him to access a portal to the way his days will be after this life is over. To taste a bit of heaven, where he is freed from the prison in which he finds himself on Earth. Also, for some, realization of their eternal gender might be a faith building experience that allows them incredible self-actualization that they could not attain through any other means.

If you believe that people were sent here to learn and grow, so that they could reach their full divine potential and return to their Father in Heaven, then you also must believe that some of the souls who find themselves in an odd, ambiguous physical situation on Earth needed this experience in order to learn what they needed to learn. If is their unique challenge, to overcome and to discover their divine nature. Keeley, the character of my novella, is only 12 by the end of the story, but has already become an introspective, deeply spiritual child who is dedicated to doing the Lord's work. One of the messages of the story is that perhaps, without this challenge, that achievement might not have come so deeply and so quickly as it did.

I'm interested to hear your reply!