A
I was reading over past threads here and am surprised at the reasoning used to condemn some cross dressers and transgenders. Why would a modern cross dresser be an abomination? The context in Deuteronomy 22 seems to be more cultural to Israel of the day than universal for all time.
Is it possible that surrounding pagan peoples used cross dressing in their religious rituals? There could be many reasons why one wouldn't want to walk among the tents and camps of Israel and not be clearly distinguished as male or female from a distance (including personal protection, vulnerable to enemies, mistakenly offending a woman's husband and receiving harsh penalties, etc). Not to mention the sanitary issue of male / female body fluids that were in contact with under garments.
Modern cross dressing is something entirely different. When you're at the park and see men and women jogging, it's sometimes hard to discern genders from a distance because of all the shorts and exposed clothing that everyone wears anyway (male proper and female proper). But do we condemn a woman who wears her man's over sized t-shirts because she likes the way they feel and smell? Or a man who wears women's shorts / skinny jeans because they fit well? A transgender who has a naturally petite body? Or a woman who wears baggy man pants? Women tend to cross dress more than men because society gives them that freedom - I know many women who are NOT shy to personally shop in the men's section of any retail store. Why isn't that an abomination? To me it looks like a double standard and a cultural issue.
Is it possible that surrounding pagan peoples used cross dressing in their religious rituals? There could be many reasons why one wouldn't want to walk among the tents and camps of Israel and not be clearly distinguished as male or female from a distance (including personal protection, vulnerable to enemies, mistakenly offending a woman's husband and receiving harsh penalties, etc). Not to mention the sanitary issue of male / female body fluids that were in contact with under garments.
Modern cross dressing is something entirely different. When you're at the park and see men and women jogging, it's sometimes hard to discern genders from a distance because of all the shorts and exposed clothing that everyone wears anyway (male proper and female proper). But do we condemn a woman who wears her man's over sized t-shirts because she likes the way they feel and smell? Or a man who wears women's shorts / skinny jeans because they fit well? A transgender who has a naturally petite body? Or a woman who wears baggy man pants? Women tend to cross dress more than men because society gives them that freedom - I know many women who are NOT shy to personally shop in the men's section of any retail store. Why isn't that an abomination? To me it looks like a double standard and a cultural issue.
