In my last column, I wrote about the issue of “transgenderism” — that is, those who are physically and biologically male or female but believe themselves to be the opposite sex. Inevitably, this issue brings with it moral questions regarding so-called “sex-change” or “gender re-assignment” surgeries. These attempt to make a body appear as the opposite sex.

Naturally, it does not actually make the person a member of the opposite sex — nothing can do that. The body, and therefore the person, remain whatever they were before (either male or female) — only the functionality and appearance of the body are altered.

The Church’s teaching here is quite clear. A man or woman with a normal male or female body, would never be morally permitted to undergo such a surgery. The reason is simple: it amounts to a very serious form of mutilation, and one is never permitted to mutilate a healthy human body (either one’s own or someone else’s). Doing so is one violation of the Fifth Commandment (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2297).

Mutilation is damaging or destroying a part of the body which is healthy or functioning properly — purposely breaking that which is not broken. The evil of doing so should be self-evident. Nevertheless, an example may help.

Imagine if a person with two healthy legs chose to cut one off because they didn’t want two legs anymore. Clearly this is an unreasonable act — an act of self-mutilation — since the human body is constructed to have two legs, and there was nothing wrong with the leg. A person attempting this is in need of help, but not help cutting their leg off. Rather, they need help dealing with whatever is causing that desire in the first place. The problem is not in the leg, but in the person’s perception.

Imagine further a doctor being approached by a patient making such a request. Any doctor willing to assist or facilitate such a mutilation would certainly be breaking the most ancient ethos of medicine: first, do no harm.

As a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19) each of us has a duty to care for our bodily health. We are not permitted to intentionally harm ourselves. Doing so is a failure in the necessary love of self we all must have (CCC 2264).

So-called “sex-change” operations are particularly serious examples of harming oneself because of the extensive mutilation involved, and the essential part of our identity as male or female which becomes further confused. Not only is the appearance altered, but the functional integrity of the body is intentionally destroyed. To undergo such a surgery, or to perform or assist in one, involves a gravely disordered act.

A natural question which often follows is this: “is it ever OK to alter the body?” In cases of necessity, yes.

For example, when a part of the body becomes damaged or diseased to the point of threatening the life or health of a person, one may legitimately and morally remove or alter that part — even if doing so has an effect on the functional integrity of the person (i.e. amputating a leg to save a person’s life even though the person will lose the ability to walk).

The difference here is obvious. Saving a life by removing a damaged part of the body, or altering a body to restore normal function or appearance as much as possible, is vastly different from attempting to destroy the true physical identity of a person because of their mistaken or confused perception of themselves.

Surgeries attempting to restore the human body, as far as possible, to normal health, function or appearance, are ultimately done out of respect for the importance of God’s design for the human body and its essential part of our identity and not from a misguided and futile attempt to force a person’s identity to be that which it is not.