Transgender activists demand boycott of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas novelist John Boyne after latest book follows lead character’s decision to change sex

We live in a confused and fallen world, and that confusion extends everywhere, so that even the most basic questions, like “what gender am I?” become difficult for some people to answer. Some people claim they were born as the wrong gender, or at least in the wrong body. A man may believe he is actually a female, but his soul is “stuck” in a male body. Such claims receive support from others who advocate a “gender-neutral” society. But those who view gender distinctions as nothing more than arbitrary labels or a “box” to be broken out of are actively rejecting God’s design in creation.

Fundamental to our understanding of human sexuality is that God created two (and only two) genders. Currently, the world likes to consider gender (based on a social construct) as having nothing to do with sex (based on physicality), but the Bible makes no such distinctions. The Bible cuts through the world’s confusion simply: “Male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). All the modern-day speculation about multiple genders—or even a gender “continuum” with unlimited genders—is unbiblical. An individual may claim to be transgender or “gender-fluid,” but that doesn’t nullify God’s design and purpose in creating him or her.

• They branded Boyne ‘unqualified’ to write about topic as he’s not trans himself 
• Others took offence at book’s title, which they said ‘misgenders’ lead character 
• But many defended novelist, saying writers shouldn’t be slammed for using their imagination and writing about experiences of others 

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Furious activists are calling for a boycott of the author who wrote The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas over his latest book about a transgender boy.

They took to social media to slam Irish writer John Boyne’s new novel My Brother’s Name is Jessica for ‘misrepresenting’ trans people.

Some branded Boyne unqualified to write about the subject because he isn’t transgender. 

But several users leaped to the defence of Boyne, saying writers should be allowed to use their imagination and ‘write from many different perspectives’.

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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas author John Boyne (pictured) has come under fire from transgender activists over his new book which features a trans lead character

Nikolai Darkling fumed: ‘Boycott @john-boyne and his new ‘novel’ ‘My Brother’s Name is Jessica’ in which his transphobic main character PHYSICALLY ASSAULTS a trans woman and this action is never condemned.

‘Disgusting for an LGBT author to throw us under the bus like this. SHAME.’

Another user wrote: ‘John is not trans therefore this isn’t his story to write. When it comes to transitioning, the trans person themselves should be centered. Not their siblings. 

‘This perspective has been done countless times already. Reading the novel is not mentally feasible for everyone.’

Nikolai Darkling slammed Boyne and called for others to boycott the ‘disgusting’ new book 

A third said: ‘Trans people are misrepresented enough in the media. They are writing their own stories. 

‘But another cis person’s take is being lauded as brilliant trans representation, when we can tell, by the title of the book, that it’s not. I’d almost prefer no rep at all.’ 

Other Twitter users took offence to the novel’s name – claiming the title ‘misgenders’ its protagonist.

Some claimed the Irish writer wasn’t qualified to write about the topic as he isn’t trans himself

Kimberly McCauley argued: ‘The title of your book is inherently disrespectful and makes it very difficult to start any discourse on polite terms.’

Another commented: ‘He misgendered the trans person in the title…I think that reflects a lot on what’s going to be in the book.’

But many users leaped to the author’s defence.

Others took aim at the book’s title, saying it ‘misgenders’ the lead character

One said: ‘Really because he is not trans then it is not his story to write? It is like saying a crime writer can’t write a crime novel because he is not a criminal!’

Author Eileen Wharton agreed and said: ‘Writers use their imagination. It’s what we do!

‘I write from many different perspectives and may not have experienced the things I’m writing about.

‘I speak to people who have experienced those things. I do other research as I’m sure John has done.’

His new book centres around Sam Waver whose older brother Jason reveals he is transgender

John Boyne is an award-winning Irish novelist who specialises in young adult and children’s fiction.

His most famous book, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, topped the New York bestseller’s list upon its release and was made into a 2008 film.

My Brother’s Name is Jessica centres around Sam Waver whose older brother Jason explains that he is transitioning into a woman.

Asa Butterfield as Bruno, the son of the commandant at a German concentration camp who strikes a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy, in the 2008 film adaption of Boyne’s novel

Boyne said he wasn’t taking comments that were rude or aggressive, or ones that made assumptions about his beliefs

Taking to Twitter, the author defended his decision to write a trans story, despite not being trans himself.

He said: ‘I’m happy to answer Twitter comments on my new novel when time allows, but not if a tweet is framed in aggressive or rude terms, or makes assumptions about my intentions or beliefs.

‘Literature is always open to debate, but the discourse must remain polite & mutually respectful.’Source

Children growing up in this confused world are bombarded with messages of confusion. Little boys are told they don’t have to be boys; girls are told they might not really be girls. Whatever they feel they are is what they are—boy, girl, or a mixture of the two. The world tells them it doesn’t matter. The confusion and ambiguity are reinforced in many ways: gender-neutral days at school, the banning of terms such as boys and girls in the classroom, the proliferation of unisex restrooms, curricula that promotes homosexual marriage, etc. It’s little wonder that some people grow up struggling with their sexual identity. But our Lord warned against leading children astray: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble’” (Luke 17:1–2).

Some people today state that they have “felt like the opposite gender since they were children.” But how would one know that? To what are they comparing their feelings? How people feel is all they know, and, for each person, how he feels is “normal” for him. Any comparisons to other people’s feelings would only be an assumption. Some people may become convinced that they “felt like the opposite gender” at some point in their lives, but they don’t truly have a baseline comparison.

Given enough conditioning, any one of us can be convinced that we identify more as the opposite gender. Too often, certain individuals are labeled as cross-gendered because of natural differences in mannerisms and responses, and those individuals “back-paint” the concept into their understanding of their childhood.

But this reimagining of one’s childhood is different from wishing to be another gender. A person can wish he was the other gender for many reasons, but that doesn’t make it internally so. A parent can instill that desire in a child, or a child can observe benefits enjoyed by the other gender and desire them. The child can also desire to be seven feet tall, but it doesn’t change reality.

The Bible says that God created “male and female” and He pronounced His creation “very good” (Genesis 1:27, 31). God’s plan was perfect, but, as with everything in mankind’s sphere, perfection was corrupted by sin. Sin brought anomalies, and we would be hard pressed to understand where the touch of this contamination ends in the creation. Could an anomaly sometimes occur in gender, physically or mentally? We acknowledge that a person can be born with a combination of male and female organs—although one’s true, biological sex can be determined through medical tests.

This we know, that we are involved in a spiritual battle for our souls. The world seeks to conform us to its mold, which is why we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1–2). Satan attempts to deceive us and urges us to question God’s plan. One of the devil’s ploys is to make us dissatisfied with how God made us. To some he whispers, “You’re fat and ugly.” To others, “You’re stupid and clumsy.” And to still others, “You look like a boy, but you’re really a girl.” In each case, the underlying message is the same: “God messed up on you.”

This we also know, that the whole creation groans for release from the curse and damage of sin (Romans 8:20–22). The ruin wrought by sin is addressed through the redemption of Christ. Through salvation, Jesus Christ grants us forgiveness of sin, reverses the effect of our poor choices, and compensates for our brokenness.

Each of us faces a different set of battles. Yet Christ sets us on the path to victory. Hebrews 12:1–2 states, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The cross is key. Jesus pioneered our faith, and He will perfect it. His victory will be ours as well.

Some may battle heterosexual temptation, greed, pride, anger, or any number of sins. Someone else may battle gender confusion. Regardless of the battle with sin and the devil’s lies, the question we must answer is, “Is Christ and His redemptive work sufficient for our battles?” Jesus definitely claims to be sufficient for any and all of our battles, and He desires to sanctify us through His Word of truth (John 17:17).

As children of God, we should be content in this life (Philippians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 12:10). We realize that we all have limitations, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But through Christ those limitations will not interfere with the plan God has for us to honor Him and serve Him. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

If a person feels he or she has been born as the wrong gender, the answer is not gender-reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, cross-dressing, etc. Those are simply worldly ways of acquiescing to the devil’s lies. “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). And God does not make mistakes. The one who feels he or she was born in the wrong body needs, first and foremost, to experience the transformative power of Christ. When we “participate in the divine nature,” we escape “the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).

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