If a person changed their 'gender' prior to studying to become a Jehovah's Witness, and if they complied with all the necessary requirements prior to becoming baptised, they would be accepted. The would have to have given up any wrongful practices that went against Jehovah God's laws. There have been cases of murderers and homosexuals who have been baptised, AFTER CEASING THEIR FORMER PRACTICES. The apostle Paul stated, at 1 Corinthians 6; 9-11 "9 What! Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, 10 nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And yet that is what some of YOU were. But YOU have been washed clean, but YOU have been sanctified, but YOU have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God. Note the start of verse 11. AND YET THAT IS WHAT SOME OF YOU ...WERE... But you have been washed clean.

I am a baptized Jehovah's witness, and I am also a transgendered person that mean's i have transgender feeling's I am not on hormones or had a sex change operation, I am living in my birth gender but i have feeling's of being in the wrong gender i have to cope with those's feeling's tell Jehovah's New World comes and takes my feeling's away.

I have the same feelings, and trust me its hard. The thing is I know that I am a lesbian, but I also feel that I have the wrong body. All I can say is pray, pray everyday Jehovah gives you the strenght and remember Jehovah's people are loving.

I am a baptized Jehovah's Witness, I am dealing with transgender feeling's, Sad to say there is not alot of understanding of want us transgendered Jehovah's Witnesses have to deal with, most baptized JW's find it hard to understand us Transgendered Witnesses. From a very young age I felt I was born in the wrong body gender. I know I am Transgendered and also I am a ative baptized Jehovah's Witness. The Watchtower CD-Rom does not have the word: "Transgender" or "Transgendered" in it. Trying to cope is hard knowing the governing body's view on this subject, all I can do is just live one day at a time trying not to think to much about my Transgender feeling's. Jehovah's Witnesses view on Transgender Baptized Jehovah's Witnesses is to keep on fighting these's feeling's not giving in to satan. To cross dress is a sin, it is the view of the Governing Body, please read Deut 22:5. Plesase Remember Jehovah loves us Transgendered.

Jehovah's Witnesses use Deuteronomy 22; 5 : “No garb of an able-bodied man should be put upon a woman, neither should an able-bodied man wear the mantle of a woman; for anybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah your God."- New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Jehovah's Witnesses also teach that Deuteronomy is part of the old law and Jehovah's Witnesses are no longer under that law, Jehovah's Witnesses say that there under the new law of Christ Jesus, the old law was done away with once Jesus Christ died for all humankind. Jehovah's Witnesses belive they only live under the new law of Christ Jesus. So Jehovah's Witnesses should not use Deuteronomy 22:5 as law today. Jehovah's Witnesses can't have it both ways either Jehovah's Witnesses are living under the old law or living under Jesus Christ's new law you can't have it both ways. Jehovah God loves all kind of people including Transgendered people, Jesus Christ died for all including people dealing with Transgendered feeling's, Please rember that point. "Jehovah is the most high over all the earth"- (NWT ,KJV) Jehovah God is the Judge not humankind.

Jehovah is in your heart you know whats right because he put it in your heart. If you know in your heart who you really are Jehovah put that there for you to see and be. So be who you really are and stop hiding. The bible is just words written by men for men to control there wife and children. If you are a man in heart you are a man because that's what god put in your heart, bodies are not perfect.I am a man my birth defect I was born in a females body. I don't understand why that's so hard to understand.I was born and raised JW my parents don't talk to me but talk to my meth head sister who lost all 3 of her kids to the state and is a liar an thief. But I don't even lie I just have a birth defect. Nice RDM

From a distance.

I took this question to refer to people that had a genetic abnormality...and not just male or female homosexuals. As to the first, how would anyone know. If a person dressed as a male or a female, they would be taken as such...If they advised the elders of their medical situation, great understanding will be forthcoming. however, in the second situation...It would not be acceptable at all. Because it involves a choice of lifestyle, and is not a medical situation.

I feel that we are on this earth to fallow gods wordbut he gave us free will. That is the will to make our own decisions and fallow our own path to his truth. Those who condem others and tell others they are wrong are the ones who are judging and what is the lords take on that. He will judge and he will punish those he sees fit to punish those of you telling others their wrong for feeling the way they do are themselves going against the word and law of god. Fear not what others might think even those that are narrow minded thinking they walk the straight and narrow as they walk with blinders. They are the ones that are missing all the glory that is god.

To start with, I have the greatest respect for genuine Jehovah's witness but on this subject there is prejudice. It also happens with other religions likewise. Transsexuality is a recognised medical condition and it really comes under Intersex conditions. Transsexual is merely a medical term to cover a condition where a person has the brain of a female/male and the body of a male/female. I have studied the bible for years with Witnesses and there is a lot of conflict amongst them over this, privately. I myself underwent so-called Gender reasignment over 40 years ago (I'm in my 60's now) and the Watchtower Society were really kind about it and accepted it at first but then certain ones in the local congregation (amongst the elders and older members of the congregation) decided that I wasn't a fit person to be a Jehovah's witness and elders approached a biased relative of mine that had no idea of my medical treatment or what I'd been through and they gave their opinion that I was indeed a 'man' and that I'd copied someone else who had undergone gender reasignment and various derogatory remarks. The elders took this as gospel and they wrote to the Society outlining all this behind my back and then the attitude of the Society changed and I had the usual Deut:22.4 scripture thrown at me -regardelss of the fact that I had been taught by my bible study conductor, and JW society literature, that the old law had been nailed to the torture stake with Christ. I'm shortening down events as this has been going on for 40+ years now with the witnesses as I've even been having a bible study until recently with a sister who feels in her heart I am as much female as she is and she was a nurse for many years so she has vouched for me to the elders and the Society. I am married and have been legally married for nearly 4 years although lived with my husband for over 20 year prior to the law change in the UK. (He is not homosexual or perverted in any way.) I have my birth certificate that says I'm female and a marriage certificate that records I'm a woman, married. As for other medical documents and employment records etc they were amended over 40 years ago to reflect my true gender. I've even worked in the medical profession as a well respected mental health counsellor before I retired. At the moment the Society want me to prove I'm a biological woman then I presume they will accept me. But as it so happens my doctor has written a letter to state that I am a female and registered with her as a female. The elders had a blue fit when they saw this as they now know that I could take legal action for slander and libel if I chose as my doctor is ready to support me on this, but as I love Jehovah and Jesus and also many of the Witnesses whom I've had the pleasure of meeting over the years I'd not take that action. Also I'm far too old now and I leave these things in Jehovah's hands to decide the rights and wrongs but from my 40 year study of the bible with JW's I know that Jehovah is far more merciful than those biased ones and remember he and Christ Jesus is our judge not the Governing body of Jehovah's witnesses or biased ones. My husband is now having a bible study after 18 years of opposition to the bible as he was a 'staunch evolutionist' and had a public school background so the witnesses look on him as a well read and intellectual person. One of the local elders is studying with him but one that is not opposed to my background. He is just sorry this has happened and as he said to me there are 'dinasaurs' in the congregation and Society and they need to have their thinking adjusted. I've had similar remarks made to me by others too. A lot of this conflict is lack of understanding and also the fault of medics some who still insist this is a psychological problem. Well in a sense it is as truly Transgender people are born with their brains mixed up due to hormone insensitivity during gestatin. That is of the opposite gender and that has been proved medically by research in Holland many year ago. One only has to do research on the internet to find all this under 'Transsexual' or 'Transsexuality'. For the person on this blog who cold not find an answer on the Society's CD rom look under 'Transsexual' but ignore the biased opinion that is recorded there as not all witnesses are of the same mind. Having been a counsellor in the mental health field I have seen many tortured individuals over this subject and I have always recommended them to seek medical help and if they feel they wish to go ahead with Gender reassignment, as it is called, then do so as long as they are sure of their feelings. There is only one 'cure' for this condition at the presnt moment in time and 99% of TS people go on to live happy and fulfilled lives as I have. As for the Scriptures use by some to condemn us then that is merely their misuse of the bible as the Mosaic law was nailed to the torture stake with Christ and we now live under the law of love as is outlined in the scriptures. No, God doesn't condone sexual perversion but this condition along with other forms of intersex is not sexual perversion but a genuine medical condition that has been proved to be such. Some may argue otherwise but I have studied this for years and conclude likewise it is not a 'lifestyle choice' but a genuine medical condition. Let God be your judge at the appropriate time as he will be with all of us. I feel sad for those struggling with this as I did but not anymore as I trust in God, not man.

I was also raised a Jehoveh's Witness. I have suffered with this "disorder" for 50 years. I did the best I could to hide these feelings. I got married at 20 and my wife and I had a son when I was 24. I was appointed as a Ministerial Servant soon after. I thought this would make the feelings go away. It didn't. I raised my son in the "truth" and was a "mans man". I tried to be the best father and husband I could be and everyone that knows me said that I was. None of this changed the way I felt. 10 years ago the depression started. This was mainly because of the guilt I was feeling. I felt I was living a double life because of my feelings. For starters, women are not supposed to be Ministerial Servants in the congregation. My wife and I tried to cope with this as best as we could. I was dealing with daily thoughts of suicide as I knew that if this ever came out then that that would be better then having my son watch his father get disfellowshipped. We finally realized that transition was the only answer. Both her and my son, felt that this was better than suicide. My close friends in the congregation felt the same way. She went to the elders 2 years ago to get me help with the depression. They read all the scriptures that I knew all too well. After all, this is why I had the guilt and depression in the first place. After all, I knew that, no matter how hard I tried, I would never be able to live up to them. Nothing would make these feelings go away. I was disfellowshipped for "loose conduct" for not following their counsel. They did not care about "Gender Identity Disorder" or the depression or the suicide. I either continued as a man or else. At the time of my disfellowshipping I had not started dressing as a women. After that I started my transition and would go to the meeting as "Jessica". My wife and son were still supportive. I would still wear pants and use the rest room at the local McDonalds two blocks away. This I did voluntarily so as to spare the congregation any embarassment. After my surgery my wife and I were divorced although we continued to live together. It was at this time that I confronted the elders about using the womens restroom. I was told that I would have to continue using the mens room even though it is in full sight of the congregation. This was a total embarassment for me and, when I protested, I was banned from the congregation. My ex-wife left me shortly trereafter and, as a result of direct counsel from the elders, both her and my son want nothing to do with me. Up until that time they had been supportive of me. I tried going to the congregation in Provo, Ut. the next closest one, and at first they were receptive, even though I was disfellowshipped. However, on the 2nd visit the elders asked to meet with me. At time I was told to "find another religion. One where people like me would be accepted". Then the other elder suggested that, since that was unacceptable to me, that "I start my own"! (Isn't that apostacy?) I was then told that "I would be destroyed at Armegeddon no matter how many meetings I attended." I was then told I was not welcomed there either. I have to add that I have traveled all over the world and have not had any issues using a womens room. I even have new friends who have no idea I was ever a man. The only place I recieve any prejudiial treatment at all is in Jehovah's Organization! Go Figure! I have not been to a Kingdom Hall in six months even though I have appealed to the elders several times. All this has not helped with the depression although, since the surgery, I no longer struggle with the guilt and the feelings of leading a double life. (I have attempted suicide several times but it is not as easy as you would think! Plus they took my guns away long ago. ) The elders don't care about this. I have been told by them, through my ex-wife, that I would only be accepted back if I went back to appearing as a man, even though it is surgically impossible. I thought Jehovah is not concerned with outward appearance? (1 Samuel 16:7, Galations 2:6) So what difference does it matter what I looked like as long I am modestly dressed and serve Jehovah to the best of my ability? None of this matters to them. So from my experience you can see that the ruling body Jehovah's Witnesses is extreemly prejudiced against transgendered people. So if you don't want to go through what I went through you have one of 3 choices; 1`) Suicide, it will probably come to that anyway. 2) Transition and move to another congregation far away and come back under your new identity, although this is just trading one double life for another. 3) Live with it as best as you can but, whatever you do, DO NOT go to the elders. No matter how kind they may seem they will turn on you. Remember I was on the servant body for 25 years! None of that mattered!

Hi Jessica196, Listen to me. Jesus would welcome you with open arms, something that alot of people tend to forget. You understand and acknowledge the bible, and we know nothing compared to what we will when we mature properly together in the new world. I am in the same situation as you, only i am waiting until the re-genesis of the world before i hopefully get to be who i want to be, because Jehova will do it properly, make me 100% woman. If not, understand, it is because he knows me better than i know myself. I hope with all my heart that i will be a woman (i have been born a guy in this world). Do you think that if Jesus was in the congregation with you, that he would refuse you? He would explain your problem better than you know yourself to everyone who is prepared to listen and show you the most warming compassion you would ever experience, like he showed to all of the people you have read about. Don't take your own life, talk to me! atariretro@yahoo.co.uk xxx