4x11 - Abigail Favale: Genesis of Gender

The Optimistic Curmudgeon

Abigail Favale argues in her new book The Genesis of Gender that gender ideology corrodes humanity's ability to live well. She proposes instead that a "Genesis Paradigm" that perceives creation as God's good gift enables human flourishing. Favale argues that we've gotten sex wrong as a culture by separating biological purpose from pleasure. She answers Matt Walsh's question, "What is a woman?" with attention to gamete production and an awareness of the history of modern biological study. She also discusses the nature of intersex conditions, and provides a thorough explanation of how Christians ought to respond to gender dysphoric persons with love. It's a great episode! Join us, and share it with a friend!
Time Markers:
2:34 - Why do we need a Christian theory of gender?

6:44 - “Woman” as a social construct / “femaleness”, the seed of gender theory

14:50 - Abigal’s personal journey in religion / feminist thought

21:14 - The right way of thinking about sex

25:03 - Where gamete production applies to womanhood

37:15 - Ideals of sexual ambiguity

38:55 - Butler’s idea to denaturalize heterosexuality

41:35 - The body as a sacred concept

47:10 - Idolatry of the body

48:00 - C.S Lewis idea of the spiritual / physical linking in the Sacrament

54:00 - Masculinity and people that display a masculine image (Andrew Tate.. etc)