What does the Bible say about heterosexual transvestites?

Question

I know what the bible says about homosexuals... which isn't my question. Since most transvestites aren't gay... is it still wrong? My Sunday school class came up with the question and I'd be interested in other's opinions. Children often dress up as the opposite sex... where (and is there) a definitive rule on what is and isn't acceptable in God's eyes? Thanks for the info!

Okay, thank you to those providing scripture to back yourself up... however... are the rules of what is feminine and masculine based on society? Consider that historically pink is what men wore (as clothes didn't come out red when dyed and it symbolized power, and strength) while women wore blue (sypmbolizing calmness, peacefulness and other characterstically female traits).

Answer 1

The asker of this question has apparently already done quite a bit of research. It is correct that most transvestites (i.e.crossdressers) are NOT gay. Since the terms transvestite and crossdresser have the same literal meaning, they are used interchangeably in this answer to the question.

Statistics over a number of years indicate that approximately 90% of all transvestites are totally heterosexual. The remaining 10% seems to be the group which attracts all the attention and casts all the negativity upon everyone else. This is no different than a Christian who doesn’t behave like one and causes negative attitudes towards the majority who do.

Now, in reference to what the Bible has to say about heterosexual crossdressers. . . the ONLY scripture that even remotely relates to it is found in Deut. 22:5. One must keep in mind that Deuteronomy is a book of the OLD testament and was therefore only applicable up until the time the NEW testament established the new laws under which we live today.

Just as a matter of example, if we were currently living under the laws of the Old Testament, then we would have to be subjecting ourselves to ALL the laws which were applicable at that time. In the same book (Deut) we find the following verses:

21:18: If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
21:19: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
21:20: And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21:21: And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

If we were under these same laws in today’s society, we would be commanded to kill each and every male child who refuses to disobey his father. And in chapter 22 we read the following:

22:11: Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.

It is a COMMON practice today to combine various blends of material in the clothing we wear. Literally every one of us wears some combination of fabrics on a daily basis.

In the NEW testament, in the book of First Corinthians we find the following regarding the length of a person’s hair:

11:14: Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
11:15: But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Keep in mind that this is in the NEW Testament and is therefore the laws under which we live in today’s time. I would venture a guess that the majority of women today are wearing their hair short. It is interesting to note that this doesn’t appear to be quoted as being sinful, but rather shameful.

We also find the following in the New Testament:

In First Timothy 2:9, the scripture reads: “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;”

Also in First Peter 3:3, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;”

Obviously the majority of our society – Christians included – aren’t adhering to these scriptures, and yet most of them will openly and blatantly condemn others for the things that THEY do without regard to their own actions.

It is only my personal opinion, but I believe that God created some people to be different than others so He could use them to see if His ideals of love and compassion would be practiced by those who weren’t ‘different’. Medical science has not yet discovered what might be the root causes for a person to be a transvestite, but there are numerous theories which have quite a lot of validity. It DOES seem to be a fact that those who tend to be transvestites/crossdressers were born with a predisposition to be the way they are and therefore have no choice in the matter any more than one has a choice in the color of their eyes, hair, or who their parents would be. God knows the feelings in the hearts of those who are different, and He recognizes the NEED that they were born with. So who are we, as His children to go against what is very possibly a part of His master plan for us?

Answer 2

Despite all the misinformation on Yahoo Answers,
the IS a prohibition in Scripture against cross-dressing.

Deuteronomy 22[5]

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

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To answer your UPDATED question-

Cor.14 [33] For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

We would have to take into account cultural differences. Your original question was about heterosexual transvestites. Obviously the customs of dress for men and women vary by culture. Deut 22.5 refers to people who deliberately dress like the opposite sex of their culture.

1 Corinthians 8.9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

We have a great freedom in Christ under the New Covenant. At the same time we must take great care not to stumble our brother who is weak.

Answer 3

The Bible says different things about this depending on what nationality you are. If you are a Jew, the law is, "A man's item shall not be on a woman, and a man shall not wear a woman's garment; whoever does such a thing is an abhorrence unto the Lord."
— Deuteronomy 22:5

If you are not a Jew, this law does not apply to you.

Answer 4

That is actually an interesting question that i really don't have a definite answer for. Guys dressing up as girls and girls dress up as guys being sinful? hmmm Well if you are strickly talking just dressing up. Might be considered lustful and sort of a fetish if lust is involved and in that context might be deamed sinful. However if there is no lust or sinful motives then I don't personally see how it can be called sinful. Now if you are refering to guys who take on female parts through surgery then I believe that is sinful by damaging the temple you were given by God and tring to become something you werent meant to be. Well thats just my personal outlooks

Answer 5

Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.
22:12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
I am sure Lix and Fireball also follow these rules about clothing. Since so many Christians do not follow the ban on pork, saying that it doesn't apply to them, I assume that they have no problems with transvestites either.

Answer 6

I once heard it said "Don't let anything in your behavior make people doubt the savior" So while I guess it wouldn't be a "sin" to dress up as the opposite sex, it would cast a strange light on christianity in some people's eyes to see a professed christian also professing to be a transvestite.

Answer 7

Deuteronomy 22:5 says "A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this." so it would appear from Old Testament scripture that it is not acceptable.

Answer 8

The Bible does say that wearing the clothing of the opposite sex is forbidden.

Answer 9

I think there's a biblical prohibition against wearing mixed fibre cloth, but as far as I know, there's nothing about wearing clothing that one culture has arbitrarily designated as being primarily for 'women' or 'men'.

Most of the items we wear as clothing now wasn't even invented when the random bits of wisdom and fable that make up the bible were collected.

Answer 10

I think it said nothing on that subject. In fact I think there is a place where a key battle was won in which soldiers sneaked into a city dressed as women and opened the city gates for the rest of their army.

However I will bet that someone comes up with a passage that can be bent to support their point of view proving you should hate that category of person.