The document discusses the Church's perspective on gender, which is that there are two genders - male and female. It notes that Genesis and revelations from modern prophets teach that gender is an essential characteristic and that men and women were created in God's image as male and female. While conditions like intersex exist, most people are biologically male or female. The roles of men and women are outlined, and it is taught that men and women need each other for exaltation.

1. FHE Lesson by
www.MormonMissionPrep.com

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What does the gospel of Jesus Christ about
gender?
• Heard a political debate
about whether there are
only two genders or if there
are more
• One person was advocating
two and only two genders
• The other person suggested
that there are infinite
genders
• It’s important to know what
the world is teaching about
gender and to arm our
youth with the truth

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LDS Church Perspective:
Gender = Male and Female
• Genesis Chapter 1 talks about how God created
the earth and on the sixth day “God created man in
his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them” (Gen
1:27)
• In The Family: A Proclamation to the World,
modern prophets have said: “All human beings—
male and female—are created in the image of
God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of
heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine
nature and destiny. Gender is an essential
characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and
eternal identity and purpose.”

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Traditional Primary Definition of Gender:
Biological Sex, Male and Female
• Merriam-Webster’s primary definition of gender is one word, “sex” as in
the biological sex, male or female, of a person or animal.
• Secondarily, a relatively recent change has been made to define gender as
behavioral or psychological, depending on how one feels or identifies

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Plain and Precious Truth of Gender is Being
Lost in the World
• Wikipedia’s definition of gender, which is reflective of the
direction the world is heading, says:
• “Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to, and
differentiating between, masculinity and femininity.
Depending on the context, these characteristics may
include biological sex (i.e., the state of being male,
female, or an intersex variation), sex-based social
structures (i.e., gender roles), or gender identity.”
• Oh how the world has strayed from the “plain and
precious” truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ (see 1
Nephi 13)

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Intersex, Gender Dysphoria, Transgender, and
Disorders of Sex Development
• Intersex = people born characteristics of both biological sexes
• Transgender = a person whose personal identity does not correspond
with their birth sex/gender
• Gender Dysphoria = feeling one's emotional and psychological
identity to be opposite to one's biological sex
• Be aware of these terms and know that these conditions exist and are
legitimate physical, mental, and emotional issues that some people
deal with
Image courtesy of Organisation
Intersex International Australia

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Most People are XY or XX, Male or Female but
Intersex People Should be Treated with Love
• There are a wide variety of intersex conditions
cause by numerous circumstances such as
genetic, chromosomal, and biochemical factors,
and enzyme deficiencies
• These intersex conditions are rare, though, with
estimates ranging anywhere from 0.01% to 1%
of the population being affected
• The vast majority of people, however, will carry
either XX or XY chromosome pairs, women
being XX and men being XY

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We Respectfully Disagree with the World
• Do not argue with people about this topic
• Be respectful and courtesy of those with differing opinions
• Be firm in your belief and, as prompted by the Holy Ghost, simply state that
the Church maintains the traditional definition of gender—biological sex,
male and female
• If people have further questions, refer them to your bishop, stake
president, or mission president
• “Many of the general principles shared on this website (for example, the
importance of inclusion and kindness) apply to Latter-day Saints who
experience gender dysphoria or identify as transgender.”
• Mormons and Gay website

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Gender Roles are Deeply Rooted
in LDS Doctrine
• We believe that men and women are different,
each with unique talents and characteristics that
together complement each other and make each
other whole.
• Genesis 2:24 says “Therefore shall a man leave
his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto
his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
• 1 Corinthians 11:11 teaches that “neither is the
man without the woman, neither the woman
without the man, in the Lord.”

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Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom
• Modern revelation received by the prophet Joseph
Smith confirms that husbands and wives need each
other to be saved in the Celestial Kingdom of God.
• “In the celestial glory there are three heavens or
degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man
must enter into this order of the priesthood
[meaning the new and everlasting covenant of
marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it”
(D&C 131:1-3).

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Men and Women Have
Different God-given Roles
• “By divine design, fathers are to preside over
their families in love and righteousness and are
responsible to provide the necessities of life
and protection for their families. Mothers are
primarily responsible for the nurture of their
children. In these sacred responsibilities,
fathers and mothers are obligated to help one
another as equal partners.”
• The Family: A Proclamation to the World

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Males and Females, Joined in
Eternal Marriage, Progress
toward Exaltation
• Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles said:
• “Two compelling doctrinal reasons help
us to understand why eternal marriage is
essential to the Father’s plan. Reason 1:
The natures of male and female spirits
complete and perfect each other, and
therefore men and women are intended
to progress together toward exaltation.”

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By Divine Design, Men and
Women Need Each Other
• “Gender …in large measure defines who we
are, why we are here upon the earth, and
what we are to do and become. For divine
purposes, male and female spirits are
different, distinctive, and complementary. …
The unique combination of spiritual,
physical, mental, and emotional capacities
of both males and females were needed to
implement the plan of happiness. Alone,
neither the man nor the woman could fulfill
the purposes of his or her creation”
(Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan,
Liahona, June 2006).