I was discussing my transition with a friend on Facebook and we got on the subject of whether or not a person that is transitioning is a “mistake.”

My response below was written to a friend that has the belief that the entire process of a child being born is divinely directed from conception to birth.

This is a good topic to discuss and one that I think if people were to have an open mind about, they would see that there is a way to still believe we are intelligently created and yet not at all “mistakes”. This does not even touch on the perfectly valid point that God may choose to design transgender people from the very beginning to be transgender.

—Response Below—

I believe that we are beings of intelligent design. Based on our discussions, I think you and I agree on what we believe the origin of that design to be.

I think where we differ and where we might need to agree to disagree.. is that I view all of us as intelligently designed autonomous beings that are brought into the world by the divinely created process of conception and then there are millions of moments of development that take place from that moment forward.

I believe that process of development from the moment of conception to no longer be divinely controlled. I know that may seem contradictory, but I don’t think it is.

We in the church have all heard that the very hairs on our heads are numbered. Well, I believe that because it is in our genetic code.

As a software developer/computer programmer, I view the genetic code as how we were knit together. It is a glorious and wonderful system that is begun at conception (all of the code that goes on to build out our bodies is already there). What I believe begins there is a creation which from that moment on develops both in the womb and outside of it and is subject to millions of factors influencing development. Examples of factors proven to affect development (with hormones being just one example) include everything from how the mother eats, stress levels, sleep patterns, common cold, disease, take your pick of any similar factor outside of that child’s body.. they affect development.

I do not look at the process of human development inside the womb or out as a constant divinely monitored process that is perfect in every way.

If it was, then there would be no point in having doctors monitor pregnancies.. at all.

Regarding my statement comparing us to a system containing “software,” that code drives how our cells constantly renew. We do not often think about the fact that our cells are constantly being replaced. Factors can affect even that process during our lives (cancer).

Our bodies seem static, but they are not. I am not saying we are programmed robots. I believe we are given free will and that we are a creation like no other made from an image like no other.

I believe that genetic code is how we all are knit together. I would never say God made a mistake with me. I was created and knit together just like you. The hairs on my head are numbered, they were coded that way.

I and many others (way more than 0.3% of the population) have a variation in my gender. I can’t fully explain how or why it happened, but that does not make it unreal or imaginary or “just in my head” (that is so insulting for a person who deals with this to hear).

My point that you can obviously disagree with is that our development is a constant process and the complexity of the process and how it all works and can vary is not even close to being fully understood.

What I am fairly certain we agree on, is that God loves each and every one of us and that we are each a beautiful creation the image of God. I also further agree with you that the Lord wants us to find our way back to being in relationship through accepting Jesus.

If our development and bodies were perfect and unvarying I do not think there would be a point in having to “find our way back” to that relationship.

This is my walk and my life and I am grateful for who I am, how I was knit together, how I developed, the relationship I found, and for where I am now headed. I am in no way a mistake that is trying to correct itself.
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Ariana Danielle