The Ethnicity Gap and Two Sexes

Good Morning and Welcome to this week’s Gospel and Culture update, by Alan Vink
The Ethnicity Gap and Two Sexes
Tuesday 27th June 2023

The Ethnicity Gap and Equity of Health Outcomes

Here is a very helpful explainer on this issue that erupted last week. Māori surgeon Maxine Ronald talks about why the ethnicity factor is necessary and fair — but the discussion around it is not.

“But this is what addressing inequity looks like. And the tool is not the blunt instrument it’s been made out to be. The clinical assessment of a patient remains the most important component of the prioritisation process. If you have a cancer, or something that’s life-threatening, your operation will be done within a certain urgent timeframe. If you’ve got something that is non-life threatening and benign, like a hernia or knee-joint replacement, those things will have a longer wait time. Non-Māori with cancer are not going to be pushed to the back of the list so that a Māori person can have something benign operated on”.

POV. I’m no health expert. But I am a Christian who believes in fairness and equity for all New Zealanders wherever prioritisation must occur due to limited resources whether that be in health, education or social services. I doubt that any measure (or framework) that seeks to address inequities will be warmly received by all. There is no argument with the facts. Health outcomes for Maori are considerably worse than for non-Maori and that issue needs to be addressed.

There are two sexes…….only…..and that’s that!

Here is a superb short article and 3 minute teaching video (sourced directly from scientific literature) that explains that there are only ever two sexes based on the fact of there being only two chromosomal ‘types’. There are individuals with XX chromosomes (a female) and individuals with XY chromosomes (a male).

“They incorrectly argue that chromosome variation forms additional sexes, and yet, none of these chromosome variations result in a third role in reproduction. They still result in just two: either male or female. In fact, while most chromosome variants beyond XX and XY result in infertility, when individuals with this condition are fertile, they produce either sperm or eggs, not a third gamete type. Thus, they are not additional sexes”.

POV. Honestly, does anything more need to be said? Perhaps the last word on this subject should come from the Bible. “So God created mankind in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them”. Genesis 1:27

Headlines Only

The Wagner Group. Who are they and who is Yevgeny Prigozhin?

I hadn’t clicked until last week what this private military company was all about. In fact I am surprised that there is such a thing as a ‘private military company’. The turn of events in Russia over the last few days as a result of this company’s march toward Moscow is on the one hand fascinating but deeply disturbing on the other.

What do New Zealanders think about China?