CHARLOTTE — The Obama administration's May 13 directive on transgender access to bathrooms "that treats 'a student's gender identity as the student's sex' is deeply disturbing," said Bishop Peter J. Jugis May 18.
Bishop Jugis reiterated a May 16 joint statement from chairmen of two U.S. Catholic bishops' committees, who said, "The guidance fails to address a number of important concerns and contradicts a basic understanding of human formation so well expressed by Pope Francis: that 'the young need to be helped to accept their own body as it was created' ("Amoris Laetitia," 285).
The statement was issued by U.S. Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, N.Y., who chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, and Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Neb., who chairs the USCCB's Committee on Catholic Education.
"The Catholic Church consistently affirms the inherent dignity of each and every human person and advocates for the wellbeing of all people, particularly the most vulnerable. Especially at a young age and in schools, it is important that our children understand the depth of God's love for them and their intrinsic worth and beauty. Children should always be and feel safe and secure and know they are loved," the bishops said.
"Children, youth and parents in these difficult situations deserve compassion, sensitivity and respect. All of these can be expressed without infringing on legitimate concerns about privacy and security on the part of the other young students and parents," they said. "The federal regulatory guidance issued on May 13 does not even attempt to achieve this balance."
"It unfortunately does not respect the ongoing political discussion at the state and local levels and in Congress, or the broader cultural discussion, about how best to address these sensitive issues. Rather, the guidance short-circuits those discussions entirely," they said.
The Obama administration's guidance applies to all public schools, colleges and universities that receive federal funding under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities, like sports.
The Diocese of Charlotte's 19 Catholic schools do not receive any Title IX funding, said diocesan spokesman David Hains, and presumably are not directly impacted by the Obama administration's May 13 guidance.
But Charlotte has been "ground zero" for the controversy since March 2015, when the Charlotte City Council first attempted to enshrine rights of "gender expression" and "gender identity" in the city's existing anti-discrimination ordinance.
That first effort failed, but last March the council approved revisions to the anti-discrimination ordinance that would allow people who do not identify with their biological sex to access the public bathroom and shower facilities of their choice. For example, men who identify as women could use a women's bathroom or public shower.
Many local religious leaders, including Bishop Peter Jugis, called the move a threat to public safety and decorum.
"God made men and women biologically different. As a society we must respect that difference, and continue to maintain separate public bathrooms for men and women for the sake of modesty and safety," Bishop Jugis said at the time.
Public backlash over Charlotte's new ordinance prompted North Carolina legislators and Gov. Pat McCrory to intervene with a special one-day legislative session March 23, overruling the city and passing what became known as "House Bill 2." Among other things, the legislation requires people to use the public restroom or shower facility corresponding to their biological sex.
Controversial from the start, House Bill 2 drew criticism from the Obama administration within days of its passage and in early May ignited competing lawsuits between North Carolina and the federal Department of Justice.
— Catholic News Herald. Catholic News Service contributed.
Obama directive on transgender access to facilities 'deeply disturbing'
WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Obama administration's May 13 directive on transgender access to bathrooms "that treats 'a student's gender identity as the student's sex' is deeply disturbing," said the chairmen of two U.S. Catholic bishops' committees.
"The guidance fails to address a number of important concerns and contradicts a basic understanding of human formation so well expressed by Pope Francis: that 'the young need to be helped to accept their own body as it was created,'" the two bishops said in a statement May 16.
The statement was issued by Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, who is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, and Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Nebraska, who chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Catholic Education.
The directive, or guidance, was issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education. The departments said it applies to all public schools and colleges and universities that received federal funding. It "summarizes a school's Title IX obligations regarding transgender students," they said, and also explains how the Education and Justice departments will "evaluate a school's compliance with these obligations."
The federal Title IX statute prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities, like sports. AP reported that the Obama administration earlier had warned schools that denying transgender students access to the facilities and activities of their choice was illegal under its interpretation of federal sex discrimination laws.
In their statement Bishop Malone and Archbishop Lucas noted that the Catholic Church "consistently affirms the inherent dignity of each and every human person and advocates for the well being of all people, particularly the most vulnerable."
"Especially at a young age and in schools, it is important that our children understand the depth of God's love for them and their intrinsic worth and beauty. Children should always be and feel safe and secure and know they are loved," they said.
They said that children, youth and parents in "difficult situations," such as the focus of the federal guidance, "deserve compassion, sensitivity and respect."
"All of these can be expressed without infringing on legitimate concerns about privacy and security on the part of the other young students and parents," the two prelates said, but pointed out that the guidance issued May 13 "does not even attempt to achieve this balance."
"It unfortunately does not respect the ongoing political discussion at the state and local levels and in Congress, or the broader cultural discussion, about how best to address these sensitive issues," they said. "Rather, the guidance short-circuits those discussions entirely."
They quoted Pope Francis, who said recently that "biological sex and the sociocultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated.
"We pray that the government make room for more just and compassionate approaches and policies in this sensitive area, in order to serve the good of all students and parents, as well as the common good," Bishop Malone and Archbishop Lucas said. "We will be studying the guidance further to understand the full extent of its implications."
— Catholic News Service
HUNTERSVILLE — Like many across the Diocese of Charlotte, parishioners at St. Mark Church in Huntersville celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Aug. 15, with a Mass and procession.
The Knights of Columbus led recitation of the rosary before Mass as well as the procession after Mass.
More than 200 parishioners participated in the procession that concluded at the church's fountain with the crowning of Mary.
—Photos and video by Amy Burger
