women around the world.

asked them? Pffffft

I can’t figure out why the Vatican feels the need to jump into this war on transgenders. Other than control none of it makes sense from a religious standpoint. But then I don’t understand their war on gays either.

Take a look at the church's role in the horrific kidnapping and abuse of Cuban children to Miami after the '59 Cuban Revolution in coordination with the US government, called Operation Pedro Pan. It's one of a long history of the church's role in abuse of children, "re-education", and Cold War hysteria.

As for condeming the trans community, first look at the behavior of your own priests and the systemic cover-up.

... has been perpetrated in the name of assorted gods, and rationalized by clerical con artists, than any other scam in human history. But their weak-minded prey will always keep them comfortably ensconced in undeserved wealth because the only other alternative is TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES! And that ain't NEVER gonna happen.

Or allowing children with visual impairment to wear glasses?

How are these not "mak[ing] oneself God?"

I have no patience for the "God doesn't make mistakes" line used to oppose gender affirming care. I have friends whose children were born with heart defects, spina bifida, and hare lip. Thankfully, we live at a time in which these can be either corrected or managed - but although their kids are doing just fine, they would apply the term "gift from God" to the medical science and health care professionals that allow them to live healthy lives and not the reasons these were needed in the first place.

The same is true for the transgender people in my life - they're in deep gratitude that they can live as the people they are, and not the people others insist they should be.

I still haven't quite decided whether I left the Catholic Church or if the Catholic Church left me.

“People who desire “a personal self-determination, as gender theory prescribes,” risk succumbing “to the age-old temptation to make oneself God.”

On so many levels!!! No one considers those children for whom gender is not completely apparent at birth. So, a man (usually) assigns the gender. There is so much variability within the parameters of human that no one takes into account. And besides, AFAIC, it should be the choice of the person living within that skin. Only they knows what they feel. I do wish someone would come out and ask one of these CIS dudes if they always knew they wanted to date women... if they always felt like a boy when they were growing up. In fact, did they even think of anything at all... or was it just always "the way it seemed." I know they'd look at you like you're an idiot, not understanding what you were saying. Definitely not understanding that is not the way it is for all people... nor, even, for all animals in the animal kingdom. They're just too dumb and stubborn to put themselves in someone else's shoes for a few minutes.