School’s Cross-Dressing Day Angers Christian Network – Dr. Paul J. Dean
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-04-06-wis-cross-dressing_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

An elementary-school event in which kids were encouraged to dress as members of the opposite gender drew the ire of a Christian radio group, whose angry broadcast prompted outraged calls to the district office. Students at Pineview Elementary in Reedsburg had been dressing in costume all last week as part of an annual school tradition called Wacky Week. On Friday, students were encouraged to dress either as senior citizens or as members of the opposite sex. A local resident informed the Voice of Christian Youth America on Friday. The Milwaukee-based radio network responded by interrupting its morning programming for a special broadcast that aired on nine radio stations throughout Wisconsin. The broadcast criticized the dress-up day and accused the district of promoting alternative lifestyles.

Commentary

This incident is instructive on a number of fronts. First, Christians must be careful not to jump to conclusions particularly when it leads to a potential false accusation. The referenced radio broadcast accused the school district of promoting alternative lifestyles. The participating teachers claim they were simply seeking to have a little fun in the education process. The district indicated they would not have such a day again. We must be careful to get the facts before we speak and we must speak appropriately. That means saying nothing some times. When we must speak, we are to season our speech with salt.

Second, while the teachers and students in this case made no claim to be Christians, this story raises an issue for believers. Many have applauded cross-dressing in certain contexts. Certain comedians who simply wanted to get a laugh come to mind. At the same time, believers and indeed Christian workers often do the same for one reason or another. We would do well to remember that the Scriptures do in fact tell us that men should dress like men and women should dress like women. When a believer cross-dresses for any reason, he denies the distinction that God has made between the sexes and the purpose for which that distinction was created; he confuses gender roles in an already confused culture; he denies biblical complementarianism and affirms egalitarianism; he promotes the worship of self; and among any number of other things, he unwittingly denies the sins that are committed by homosexuals, transvestites, and those who have had sex change operations, etc. This is something that simply should not be done for any reason.

Christians must recognize that we are far more influenced by our culture than we realize. No doubt some will reject the warnings herein and write some of these things off as harmless fun. The question then becomes, “Why do I see “cross-dressing” as something that can be done for fun or for laughs?” Examining our own hearts is not an easy thing. Yet, for the cause of God and truth, for our own spiritual well-being, and for our influence in a lost culture, that is exactly what we must do.