Dante Alighieri | AffirmingGender

The Nutcracker: Odious Fluff or Timeless Type?

By Mary K. Andreades December 13, 2017 December 14, 2017

Every year, I have an argument with my husband about the value of The Nutcracker, the ballet. Sam considers this holiday standard an insufferable time-waster having nothing to do with the real Christmas, a quaint costume drama that devolves into an interminable and inexplicable glorification of candy and tulle. But, I plead, don’t you see?

A Homosexual in Hell

By Sam A. Andreades April 2, 2017 January 21, 2021

The 13th century Florentine author, Dante Alighieri, wrote The Divine Comedy to give an allegorical look at life after death, and Volume I, Inferno, describes the famous circles of hell. His portrayal offers an important insight into the path to hell and a godly attitude towards those on it.

Is gender real? Does it matter in relationships? What does God think about it? So many diverse questions on peoples' lips today come down to the same thing: What does gender mean? Is it a construct of society or self-perception? Or is it a gift to foster intimacy and fruitfulness in our relationships?

This site fosters honest and thoughtful conversation about the pressing issue of gender. I write from a Christian perspective, placing great value on the Bible's wisdom about it. But just understanding the Bible's message on gender is a big job for our time, and so part of what we discuss here. We also take up questions posed by our current culture's sometimes confusing views on women & men, relationships and identity.

If you are new here, you might want to start with the Big Picture posts, Three Questions... and Want It In A Nutshell?, briefly outlining what I see as the seven main principles of gender.

The posts consist of commentary on current events, excerpts from my general book, transgenderism book, or book on dating, Biblical exposition, praise for the culture’s gender goodness and ruminations on its errors as I see them. We also welcome guest posts from gender-savvy writers.

Read, think, and join the conversation!

Big Picture (8)
Biblical Scenic Overlooks (11)
Dating with Discernment (14)
Equality (17)
Asymmetries of Gender (77)
- Asymmetry of Origin (15)
- Asymmetry of Order (26)
- Asymmetry of Intent (17)
- True Woman/Real Man (14)
- Specialties of Gender (7)
Body (76)
- Maleness-Femaleness (16)
- Transgenderism (55)
  - Gender Dysphoria (37)
- Intersex (6)
Monogendered Relations (33)
Culture & Gender (63)
- Scientific Inquiry (3)
- Movie Reviews (9)
- Political Implications (12)
Intergendered Intimacy (23)
Trinitarian Love (32)
- Gender Matters in Relationship (15)
- Trinity & Gender (12)
- Immense Invitation (2)
Biblical Exegesis (44)
Criticisms of enGendered (9)
Announcements (31)
Uncategorized (1)