Who would have thought it? Who would have thought that a question so straightforward would prove so controversial? Who would have thought that providing the age-old answer to the simplest of questions would be enough to cast you out of polite society? Yet here we are.

The question, of course, is this: What is a woman? This question is at the core of a new documentary by Matt Walsh—a documentary that is meant to expose the danger and contradictory nature of contemporary gender ideology. This ideology does away with the male/female and man/woman binaries and replaces them with spectrums so that people are not simply men or women and not simply male or female, but can instead define themselves according to their feelings. At the same time it completely separates sex and gender so that a male body can belong to a woman as easily as a man. Everything we once took for granted has been deconstructed and reversed.
With this in the background, Walsh travels around the United States—and briefly to Africa—to interview people and to engage in some light trolling. He wishes mostly to get an answer to the big question: What is a woman?
He begins with an interview of a gender non-conforming gender affirming therapist who insists “some women have penises and some men have vaginas.” This individual, though female, says she cannot answer the question of “what is a woman?” because she herself (they themself?) is not a woman.
With no answer there, he turns next to the streets of New York City where he speaks to a group of women who range from young to middle-aged, yet are unable to answer the question except to say that it is bound up in an individual’s self-identification. They know they are women, but they don’t know why. Heading to San Francisco, he sits down with Dr. Marci Bowers, a male-to-female transgendered doctor who is considered among the preeminent sex-change surgeons in the world. The doctor says that a woman is a combination of your physical attributes and what you’re showing to the world through the clues that you give—still not a very helpful answer.
He speaks to Michelle Forcier, a pediatrician whose work involves “reproductive justice” and “gender affirmation care,” which is to say, helping children and teens dispute the gender they were assigned at birth and transition to another. She insists that telling a family of a newborn baby that the child’s genitals offer any substantial clue as to whether he is male or she is female, is simply not correct—it’s an outdated and harmful way to think about things. From there it’s off to Tennessee to speak to Dr. Patrick Grzanka who is a professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies but who, despite such lofty academic credentials, can do no better than “a person who identifies as a woman,” violating the rule that a word must not be defined by using that word. And so it goes, even to a women’s march in which, ironically, the people marching for women’s rights seem unable or unwilling to answer the question of what constitutes a woman in the first place.
As the documentary continues, Walsh begins to integrate the voices of those who are dissenting from this ideology. Miriam Grossman, an adolescent and adult psychiatrist, does much of the heavy lifting. She is outraged by the ease at which people—and especially young people—are being subjected to what is really no better than medical experimentation as they are injected with hormones and subjected to life-altering surgeries. A couple of young female athletes explain how they were forced to compete against—and lose to—biological males. Carl Trueman makes a couple of brief (too brief!) appearances to explain some of the history behind this gender ideology. Jordan Peterson brings his trademark outrage to a few clips. Perhaps strongest of all is an extended interview with Scott (Kellie) Newgent who medically transitioned from woman to man and is now filled with regrets, understanding that she is not a man and never can or will be, despite all the surgeries and hormones. Her body, and indeed her life, has been ruined by it.
The film is not without its missteps. I don’t understand the benefit of visiting the Masai and hearing how they view men and women, interesting though it may be. Then Walsh takes a few cheap shots, tosses out a few easy insults, and interviews a few soft targets (like the naked dude wandering the city streets and the person who identifies as a wolf). And it is here that I think we ought to consider this: When we have the truth on our side, we can engage with an opponent’s best arguments with every bit as much confidence as their worst. Hence some of the soft targets could as easily have been replaced by people making a much stronger argument. This, in turn, might better equip viewers to engage with those who hold to this gender ideology. There may be a place for satire or outright mockery, but there is also a place to take on and refute the absolute best arguments an opponent can offer. I would have liked to have seen Walsh do a little bit more of that.
As I watched the documentary I found myself wondering: What is the purpose of a production like this? Is it meant to persuade those who disagree with its premises? Is it meant to affirm the convictions of those who already agree with its premises? Or does it have a different purpose altogether? While I found What Is a Woman a surprisingly strong film, I suspect it will mostly serve the second purpose. I don’t expect it to convince those who are not already convinced—not least because, at least for now, the only way to watch it is to subscribe to The Daily Wire. I was willing to part with a month’s fee to watch it, but doubt many of those who buy into this gender ideology will be willing to do so. And so it will, I suspect, largely preach to the choir.
Parents will want to know there are a few images that are somewhat explicit and a few words they may not want their kids to hear, largely in the context of interviews. This isn’t a film to watch with the littlest ones. But I think it could be a good film to watch with teens since it reflects the world they will be growing up in and the world they will need to make their way through. Though Walsh’s treatment is not entirely serious and certainly not academic, and though he could have engaged with some stronger arguments, he does a good job of exposing the contradictory nature, moral confusion, and physical danger of modern day gender ideology. And that makes this a film worth watching.
(If you’d like to dive a little deeper into the subject, you might consider reading Affirming God’s Image, which is written from a Christian perspective, or Irreversible Damage which looks at how this ideology is particularly harming young women. Of course Carl Trueman’s Strange New World (the short book) and The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (the longer one) are essential reading as well.)

May you know God’s richest blessings as you serve and worship him this weekend.

Richard Dawkins Is (Partly) Right about Pro-Life People
“Richard Dawkins is right.” That’s not something you hear often from a site dedicated to apologetics. And, not surprisingly, Dawkins is only partially right.
Why does God allow the righteous to suffer?
“If he is all-loving and all-powerful, why does God allow the righteous to suffer?” This article looks at some examples from the Bible to provide at least a partial answer.
How Do Hearts Grow?
“How do you know your heart is maturing, that you’re developing, that you’re more than just your yesterday-self?” Well all want to know we’re making such progress, don’t we?
Between Two Graves: Calvin on the Waters Above and Below
“One of the quirkier parts of the early books of Genesis for modern readers is the way in which it speaks of ‘waters above’ and ‘waters below’.” Calvin’s thoughts on it are really interesting.
Why technology makes our lives easier yet more meaningless
“It seems we’ve struck a deal with our devices that so much resembles the bargains with the tricksters from the old stories. A genie appears to grant your wish. But once you have what your flesh desired you find you’ve lost something of yourself in the exchange. We wished for peace and quiet, and what we got was loneliness. We wished for the world at our fingertips, but what we got was all the world’s anxieties. We wished to banish boredom and difficulty, but what we got was meaninglessness.”
The Water and the Blood
Nick Batzig takes a crack at resolving one of the most difficult biblical details to interpret.
Flashback: Leave and Cleave Like a Strawberry
The God who created family is clear that marriage creates a new family unit, but also clear that biology matters and that the forming of a new unit does not entirely rupture the old one.

Perfect love is perfect self-forgetfulness. Hence where there is love in a home, unselfishness is the law. Each forgets self and lives for others. —J.R. Miller

We are spoiled—spoiled by having so many talented Christian artists creating so many excellent songs. With 2023 now halfway in the books, I decided to make up a list of my favorites from the year so far. Hopefully there’s something here you’ll want to add to your own playlists…

He Calls Me Friend by CityAlight
As it happens, I am heading to Australia today to spend some time with CityAlight and their church. They have just released a couple of new tracks from their upcoming EP and both are wonderful. The first, “He Calls Me Friend,” rejoices in our friendship with Jesus.
I have a friend, a faithful friend / And Jesus is His name / I have a friend, a Saviour friend / And Jesus is His name / He will not leave, / He stands by me / My Shepherd He remains.
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My God is All I Need / My God is So Big by CityAlight
The second new track is “My God Is All I Need” which is a song of comfort.
He is my strength when I cannot go on / Peace when all my power is gone / Hope, although the night is long and deep / He is my song for He has rescued me / Joy now He has set me free Praise! / Praise to my Father be / My God is all I need.
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All My Boast Is in Jesus by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Keith & Kristyn Getty
Getty Music has also released a couple of new tracks, both of them from the partnership of Matt Boswell & Matt Papa.
All my boast is in Jesus / All my hope is His love / And I will glory forever / In what the cross has done.
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Our God Will Go Before Us by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Keith & Kristyn Getty
And then there is this song of comfort and encouragement which we introduced at Grace Fellowship Church last Sunday.
Our God will go before us / And guide us by his presence / What confidence this promise is / We will never walk alone.
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When We Pray [Acoustic] by Citizens
I don’t usually prefer acoustic versions of songs more than standard ones, but in this case I am glad to make an exception.
For the mothers and the fathers on their knees / For the sons and daughters trapped in slavery / For the anxious heart that’s fighting for some peace / In Jesus name, you are free / In Jesus name, amen / In Jesus name, amen / In Jesus name, there’s nothing He can’t / When we pray in Jesus name.
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Find Your People by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
I suppose there may be little that’s distinctly Christian about the lyrics to this one, but I like it as a celebration of the best kind of friendships.
In a world of strangers, you don’t know who to trust / All you see is danger, trying to find what you lost / You can’t go it alone, everybody needs help / You got to find your people then you’ll find yourself.
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New Creation [Live From Red Rocks] by Mac Powell
Mac Powell is best known as the former lead singer of Third Day. This song appeared on his last album, though this live version is new. I appreciate it as a celebration of God’s salvation.
You brought me blessings out of a tragedy / You turned my old song into a symphony / And with Your Spirit living inside of me / I’m a new creation.
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Make Your Own Mistakes by Wilder Woods
Wilder Woods is the stage name for Bear Rinehart, the lead singer of the band Needtobreathe. This song from his solo project is a call for the coming generation to avoid making the mistakes of the previous one.
‘Cause I don’t want you to follow me down those / Same crooked roads to the same old places / I just want you to / Go your own way / You don’t have to chase down the same dreams I did / A heart like yours is hard to break / So go and make your own mistakes.
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Running Home by Cochren & Co.
This is another salvation story.
It wasn’t where I thought we’d meet / Outside of a dorm room on Franklin Street / With tears in my eyes in the driver’s seat / That’s just the place God came for me.
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I’ll Fly Away [Live] by the Gray Havens
The Gray Havens have been releasing a series of covers. My favorite so far is this live version of “I’ll Fly Away.”
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