Insights
Rev Gav
Can I be a Christian and a cross-dresser?
Deuteronomy 22.5
A woman must not put on men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the Lord your God.
Reflect
For the sake of this article, cross-dressing is defined as the wearing of clothes culturally, traditionally, or stereotypically associated with the opposite gender.
The short answer to the question, “Can I be a Christian and a cross-dresser?” is an unequivocal yes, but I expect, since you are reading this article, you are wondering what the writers in the Bible have to say about the matter, or what a theological perspective might be.
The Clobber Verse
We will dive straight in with the ‘clobber verse’ used by some religious folk to justify what the ‘Bible clearly says’ on the matter, and this is from the Book of Deuteronomy (Chapter 22, Verse 5):
“A woman must not put on men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the Lord your God.”
That is pretty unequivocal, however, lifting Bible verses out of their literary and cultural context, then using them as proof texts to be wielded as a weapon, is a very dangerous and damaging thing to do.
Cultural Context
The Book of Deuteronomy is part of what we call the Purity Code, and is a legal document containing laws on a variety of topics. The point of the Purity Code was to distinguish the Jewish people from other religions — to keep them distinct, pure, and undefiled. Often, the laws countered rites or traditions of other pagan religions, and cross-dressing was associated with fertility rites and worship ceremonies for pagan gods such as Ishtar (the Mesopotamian goddess of war, fertility, sexuality, and justice) or Asherah (the Semitic mother goddess associated with fertility and motherhood). Therefore, this particular law was aimed at preventing God’s people from being tempted to worship other gods (with a small g) instead of God (with a big G).
Aside from cross-dressing to engage in idolatry, there are other circumstances by which cross-dressing might be forbidden according to the ancient Purity Code, and this is when cross-dressing is used for personal gain at the expense of someone else. For example, cross-dressing to intentionally deceive someone for personal gratification or gain would be considered unethical. The word for ‘clothes’ in our Deuteronomy passage is actually a broader word meaning ‘anything that pertains to’ and this can include articles, bags, tools, or weapons. To this end, some Bible scholars assert that the law in this passage pertained to gender roles in terms of military service — i.e. a man pretending to be a woman to avoid, or a woman pretending to be a man in order to serve, in the military. Either way, this is not the same thing as a genuine expression of gender or identity.
Literary Context
The literary context for the purity laws found in the Book of Deuteronomy is that this law sits between a whole bunch of other laws that are absolutely nothing to do with gender and, importantly, are largely ignored by most, if not all Christians! For example, some promote common sense such as:
“When you build a new house, you must build a railing around the edge of its flat roof. That way you will not be considered guilty of murder if someone falls from the roof.” (22.8)
And some are very specific and are violated by just about everyone:
“You must not wear clothing made of wool and linen woven together.” (22.11) and, “You must put four tassels on the hem of the cloak with which you cover yourself — on the front, back, and sides.” (22.12)
You do not hear many sermons preached about flat roofs, mixed fabrics, or cloak tassels, and I am not sure anyone has quoted them at me as a proof text against my lifestyle choices!
Christians and the Purity Code
So, does the Purity Code apply to us Christians? No. The Purity Code does not apply to Christians. In fact, over and over again, Jesus subverted the Purity Code and the Apostle Peter was shown clearly how the Purity Code did not apply to followers of Christ. The Apostle Paul went through great lengths to assure followers of Christ that, through Christ, we are no longer under the law but under grace. That is not to say that Christians should not be distinct from the world, but our distinctiveness does not come from what we wear, but from our Christlike attitudes and behaviours.
Although the Purity Code contains specific laws, we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Most Christians would consider worshipping other gods (small g), selfishness, and lying to be ungodly and incongruous with God’s way of love. Therefore, cross-dressing to engage in fertility rites or worship ceremonies to appease or appeal to a different god, or cross-dressing in order to wilfully deceive or avoid responsibilities are both considered out-of-bounds for a follower of Christ.
Modern Religious Objections
Finally, in terms of objections to cross-dressing, should not Christians adhere to and promote distinctive gender norms? That is a good question, and most orthodox Christians assert that there is male or female and nothing else, despite the inclusion of eunuchs in the Bible. Often, the book of Genesis is used as a proof text for gender distinctiveness despite the text asserting that God created humans in ‘their’ image and created humans both male and female, not male or female! (Genesis 1.27) The Apostle Paul also reversed this orthodox assertion, quite literally, when he wrote, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3.28)
Yes, Paul did, at times, write about gender distinctiveness, but again, in ways that cannot be divorced from their cultural setting, and like our ‘clobber’ verse from Deuteronomy, Christians lifting verses from, say 1 Corinthians or 1 Timothy would well be asked why they do not adhere to other gender ‘norms’ such as men not having long hair or women not wearing head coverings, gold, pearls, or expensive clothes!
Unless you are a Bible literalist (which no-one should be), there is no biblical case against cross-dressing. The thrust of the biblical narrative does endorse the principal of not engaging in practices that might draw others away from God, and yes, this does include dressing modestly when it may have a negative impact on others (see Romans 14.21). As Paul wrote, “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10.23), therefore, Christians may need to consider if cross-dressing for their own personal gain, is going to directly harm someone else’s relationship with God, others, or the environment.
Now, this is a tough call because Christians are called to live counter-culturally and subvert unjust expectations, but at the same time Christians have a mandate to do so with kindness and a gentle confidence, secure in their relationship with Christ. Whatever we do, and this includes how we dress, must come from a place of love for God and for others, and sometimes, in organisations (including churches), when it comes to matters of truth and identity, Christians have to make a decision whether to conform, contravene, or simply walk away.
Historical Perspectives
Now, with our theological reflection done, what does it mean to dress in clothes that are culturally and specifically assigned to the opposite gender? Well, the clue is that it is ‘cultural’. If we lived in the 17th or 18th Century, it would be very fashionable for men to wear high heels and wigs and no-one would have batted an eyelid! It is only from the 19th century that such items of clothing became culturally appropriated to women and, for example, women only began wearing trousers (pants) from the mid-19th century. In terms of colours, it is only from the 1940s that pink became associated with girls and blue associated with boys. Prior to the 1940s there was no distinction. In fact, pink was thought of as the ‘stronger’ colour and traditionally associated with strength and masculinity.
It is true to say that the Church (capital C) has influenced culture on maintaining gender distinctive clothing. There are conservative traditions today that will not, for example, permit women to wear long trousers, however, such churches are in a minority Importantly, there is no ‘religious’ designation for any item of clothing, apart from perhaps religious apparel such as clothes worn by clergy, and interestingly, nearly all clerical wear is unisex, and ironically, also often colourful and flamboyant!
The Benefits of Cross-dressing
There are multiple reasons why someone might cross-dress including for comfort, practical reasons, or protest, and cross-dressing can be beneficial to the wearer and for relationships, particularly for men dressing in women’s clothes. Women have a far greater choice of colours, styles, and textures than men who are denied access to such a variety of self-expression. Clothes are a means by which someone can externalise their personality, their emotions, their moods, and their self-worth. They are also a means by which someone can externalise their sexuality or their inner gender or identity. Cross-dressing gives both men and women the opportunity to express who God created them to be.
In 2009, a UK survey found that about 5% of men admitted cross-dressing at some point, and researchers think that this number is culturally skewed and that the real number is much higher. In a survey of cross-dressers, nine out of ten identified as heterosexual and most were married.
If your partner has communicated an interest in cross-dressing or wearing your clothes (if you are a different gender), then embrace it. They have been vulnerable, open, and honest with you. How amazing is that!? Think about how societal and cultural norms have shaped your own thoughts and opinions, and how gender distinctive clothing has limited and stifled creativity and freedom of self-expression. Cross-dressing within a secure and loving relationship enables someone to be their true self and strengthens relationships through, for example, increased confidence, empowerment, arousal, sexiness, intimacy, affection, fun, and communication. Couples that embrace cross-dressing also report a greater sense of closeness and connection.
Cross-dressing is safe, fun, and liberating, and yes, you can absolutely be a Christian and a cross-dresser!
If you have been affected by this article, have questions, or would like support from an inclusive and affirming church family, please do not hesitate to reach out to our FAB Church pastors Rev Gav and Helen.
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