A White, English “influencer” (whatever that is) has “come out” as Korean. Oli London, who apparently has quite a following on social media, has announced that, after eight years worth of eighteen surgeries costing $150,000, he finally has the look he has been hoping to achieve and now identifies as Korean.

London is a fan of the K-pop group BTS and, in particular, of Jimin, one of the members of the band. London has undergone several plastic surgeries to make himself look like Jimin, and now calls himself “Jimin.” He said he has “transitioned to a non-binary person — they/them/Korean/Jimin.”

“I’ve been trapped in the wrong body,” London said, “But finally I’m Korean — I can be myself. And I’m so, so happy.”

London has received a great deal of criticism, and even death threats, from those who are offended by his attempt to appropriate a Korean identity. But, London’s actions and claims rather beg the question: Why is it possible for a male person to identify as female, but not for a White person to identify as Korean? Why does gender ideology not work with race or ethnicity? If Chastity Bono can identify as male and have surgeries to “transition” to male and become Chaz Bono, why can’t Oli London identify as Korean and have surgeries to “transition” to Korean and become Jimin London? There is no argument that supports a female identifying as male and transitioning to male that does not also support a White person identifying as Korean and transitioning to Korean. The logic is exactly the same. If anyone can explain how the two are substantially different, I’m all ears.

London’s actions and claims are going to open this debate and it’s going to be ugly. People who are fierce advocates for gender ideology are going to condemn London and others like him who claim that it’s possible to identify as a different race or ethnicity than that written on one’s birth certificate. They’ll surely come up with arguments as to why “transitioning” applies to gender but not to race, and those arguments will make no sense whatsoever. Others will surrender logic and biology on the matter and support London and others like him who insist they were born into the wrong body and demand to transition to another race or ethnicity and that society support their claim. Chaos will ensue.

As for me, I’m just sitting back right now, shaking my head, wondering how all of these ideologues are going to work it out or, more likely, fight it out, on social media, and then in the courts, and then in the legislatures of the various countries and states. I will not recognize London as a Korean, any more than I recognize Bono as a man, or Bruce Jenner as a woman. We are witnessing the normalizing of mental illness, and that is not going to be a good thing for any body.

May God have mercy on Oli London, and on us all.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.