Podcast Summary

Podcast: I Don’t Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST
Episode: How to Raise Gender Confident Kids with Dr. Jeff Myers and Dr. Kathy Koch
Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Dr. Frank Turek
Guests: Dr. Jeff Myers (President, Summit Ministries), Dr. Kathy Koch (Founder, Celebrate Kids)

Main Theme

This episode tackles the growing cultural confusion around gender, especially among children and teenagers, focusing on how parents, educators, and churches can raise "gender confident" kids rooted in a Christian worldview. Dr. Turek interviews Dr. Jeff Myers and Dr. Kathy Koch about their new book, Raising Gender Confident Kids: Helping Kids Embrace Their God-Given Design, covering practical advice, biblical and biological foundations, challenges parents face, and strategies for cultivating healthy gender identity in a confused world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why This Book? (02:54–04:19)

• Genesis of the Project: Both Myers and Koch noticed an increase in Christian kids expressing gender confusion, and realized the need for an accessible, practical resource for parents.
• Co-Author Synergy: “When you co-author a book, you have to work through all of the ideas together and then they get elevated.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [03:36]
• Goal: Move parents "past their feelings of guilt and shame and helplessness" toward "confident conversations with their children." [03:52]

2. The Role of Confidence (05:51–07:07)

• Definition: Confidence is built on belonging, purpose, a sense of design, compassion, and hope.
• Missed Christian Conversations: If the church doesn't speak on gender, young people assume, “I guess I just have to go along with whatever my culture says about the gender spectrum.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [06:34]

3. Responding to Gender Ideology (07:17–08:06)

• Cultural Relativism: Dr. Koch recommends parents and educators respond to claims like “68 genders” with probing questions:
  • “Where did you find your information?”
  • “What happens if you’re wrong?” [07:31]
• Emphasize truth and compassion: Sometimes, “we just have to be that bold and say ‘it's confusing. Like you're wrong.’” – Dr. Kathy Koch [08:00]

4. The Biology & Theology of Gender (08:27–11:58)

• Biblical Foundation: Only two types of humans: male and female, established in Genesis 1.
• Biological Reality: “There are 6,500 catalogued biological differences between males and females in humanity.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [10:35]
• Cultural Pressure: Children are being shamed and confused by the promotion of the gender spectrum and by equating stereotypes (GI Joe/Barbie) with gender identity.

5. Language Manipulation (12:13–12:52)

• Deceptive Phrasing: Terms like “gender affirming care” sound positive but actually refer to medical and social transitions that affirm a self-proclaimed gender identity, not biological reality.
• “It’s just an outright lie.” – Dr. Kathy Koch [12:52]

6. Medical Pathway & Consequences (13:15–15:33)

• Path: Puberty blockers → cross-sex hormones → surgery.
• Pressure: Doctors often frighten parents: “Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter?” [13:34]
• Health Outcomes: Data shows suicidal ideation increases among those who persist with transgender identity; underlying issues are left unaddressed.
• “The data is now in. We have the receipts. Suicidal ideation goes up… not down.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [15:18]

7. Addressing Root Causes (15:50–19:32)

• Ask: “What made you feel that way?”
• Most gender confusion stems from trauma, bullying, depression, stress, and not genuine gender dysphoria, which is rare.
• Personal stories about feeling out of place and learning to accept oneself (e.g., Dr. Koch’s height as a girl) help frame the conversation.
• “I had to live long enough to find out why I am the who I am.” – Dr. Kathy Koch [16:37]
• Citing Walt Heyer: “100% of people that identified as trans … have experienced some sort of childhood trauma.” – Dr. Frank Turek summarizing Heyer [17:29]
• School environments and curriculum can contribute to trauma and confusion.

8. Profit Motive & Industry Influence (20:11–22:39)

• Monetary Incentives: The transition industry is driven by profit – puberty blockers like Lupron can cost $35,000/year (“pure profit”).
• There’s a “school-to-clinic pipeline” feeding children from curriculum to clinics.
• “People are profiting off of severe confusion among kids.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [22:20]

9. Practical Steps for Parents (26:59–31:56)

• Scripture & Modeling: Model joy and acceptance of one’s own God-given gender; talk openly about design, sin, and confusion.
• “Do we demonstrate to our kids … that, you know, I enjoy being a woman? … Do you two guys demonstrate that you enjoy being men?” – Dr. Kathy Koch [27:16]
• Conversation Starters: Ask what prompted confusion, stay calm, let kids process aloud.
• Play Acting & Listening: “You can play ignorant: ‘I really don’t understand this, explain it to me.’” – Dr. Kathy Koch [27:49]
• Reframe Identity: Encourage kids to see themselves first as followers of Christ, not through culture’s lens.

10. Recognizing Signs & Having Conversations (32:42–34:26)

• Notice shifts in behavior (social withdrawal, mood changes).
• Rather than asking “are you depressed?”, point out specific changes and ask open-ended questions.
• “Evidence doesn’t lie. So when we talk about what we observe in our children, they cannot deny that.” – Dr. Kathy Koch [33:17]
• Resource: Over 200 conversation starters included in the book.

11. How to Talk to Kids about Confusing Scenarios (34:38–35:43)

• When a child asks about a gender nonconforming person, emphasize compassion, dignity, God’s design, and that being a boy/girl isn’t about stereotypes but about God’s intention for them.

12. Building Hope, Security, and Identity (37:06–42:11)

• Use personal stories rooted in Scripture to teach that “God is a good creator.”
• Identity crisis is rooted in a security crisis. Without a sense of belonging or purpose (“who do I belong to?” “what do I do well?”), kids are more vulnerable to harmful ideologies.
• “If kids don’t know who to follow and who’s a truth talker, wisdom walker, they don't know where to go.” – Dr. Kathy Koch [39:59]
• Belonging and purpose are foundational for building competence and resilience.

13. Christian Identity & Complementarity of the Sexes (42:27–46:31)

• To have an identity in Christ means trusting that Jesus can guide you through confusion – “when I am confused, Jesus is not confused."
• Male and female are created to harmonize, not just procreate: examples include differences in visual perception and stress responses.
• The harmony of differences enables families, schools, and workplaces to flourish.

14. Intended Use of the Book (46:46–47:38)

• Use not just for crisis but as a preventive tool: bookmark conversation starters, revisit sections on biblical worldview and mutual respect.
• “We don't want you to react to the fear ... We want them to act based on wisdom accrued from resources like your podcast and this book.” – Dr. Kathy Koch [47:21]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Co-authoring: “When you co-author a book, you have to work through all of the ideas together and then they get elevated.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [03:36]
• On the Gender Spectrum Push: “Nobody’s really either GI Joe or Barbie, then we’re all kind of in between. We’re all non-binary. We’re all transgender. That’s what the agenda says.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [09:09]
• On Manipulative Medical Pressure: “Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter?” – Dr. Jeff Myers, quoting the pressure parents face from doctors [13:34]
• On Rooting Identity: “My soul knows it very well ... My voice is my perfect voice because my creator is a perfect creator.” – Dr. Kathy Koch (sharing her own struggles with a deep voice) [37:38-39:48]
• On Profit Motive: “People are profiting off of severe confusion among kids.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [22:20]
• On Belonging and Purpose: “If it is the transgender community that’s making you feel belonging, then we should do better.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [42:01]
• On Difference and Harmony: “God made males and females to harmonize with one another. … You really need males and females to work together to accurately see the world.” – Dr. Jeff Myers [43:38]
• On Security & Identity: “We have an identity crisis because we have a security crisis.” – Dr. Kathy Koch [39:00]

Recommended Actions & Resources

• Get the Book: Raising Gender Confident Kids is available free at genderconfidentkids.com thanks to a donor. Includes downloadable, audio, and Kindle versions.
• Distribute Widely: Order multiple copies for church or school communities.
• Bookmark Conversation Starters: Practical prompts help guide sensitive, open discussions with children.
• Use as Prevention, Not Just Remedy: Even if your child is not struggling, preemptive conversations are critical.
• Anchor Discussions in Scripture: Equip children with a biblical worldview of creation, design, and identity.

Structure with Timestamps

• [00:03] Introduction, problem overview, expert intros
• [02:54] Book genesis, author backgrounds, purpose
• [05:51] Importance of confidence; instilling gender confidence
• [07:17] Responding to arguments about multiple genders
• [08:27] Biblical and biological basis for gender
• [12:13] Manipulation of language (e.g., “gender affirming care”)
• [13:15] Medical pathway, health outcomes, and data overview
• [15:50] How to ask children about their feelings; trauma and mental health roots
• [20:11] Motives in the medical/educational industries
• [26:59] Practical advice for parents to “inoculate” children
• [32:42] Recognizing signs of gender confusion; best communication strategies
• [34:38] Example conversation starters for tricky scenarios
• [37:06] Instilling hope, security, and identity based on faith and story
• [42:27] Identity in Christ and the designed harmony of the sexes
• [46:46] Intended use of the book and final words

Conclusion

Raising Gender Confident Kids encourages grounded, compassionate conversations on gender amidst cultural confusion. By promoting biblical truth, listening well, modeling confidence, and proactively engaging children, families, and communities, the book and this podcast episode provide a much-needed roadmap for parents who want to strengthen their children’s sense of purpose and identity in line with their Christian faith.