Letters to the Editor

Unfounded fear

Editor:

Here we go again. Extreme conservatives are using twisted facts and fear tactics to push their bigoted and hate-filled agenda masked as public concern.

In a recent letter to the editor, Ms. Crawford sounded the alarm that the school year has begun and that our Democratic politicians have somehow sneaked implementing the dreaded Title IX into our schools.

Ms. Crawford, Title IX is a part of the Civil Rights Act enacted in 1972, and signed by President Nixon — a Republican. The purpose of Title IX was to ensure that educational opportunities are available to all Americans regardless of sex; thus banning sex discrimination in education.

Thanks to Title IX, many women have been able to enjoy pursuing their educational and vocational goals without the hindrance of discrimination based on sexual orientation. Now the definition of sex discrimination has been expanded again to specifically include transgendered individuals. The implication that Title IX is some secret policy quietly infiltrating our schools is simply not correct.

The many examples Ms. Crawford gives of scary scenarios based on the recognition of transgendered people are not based in reality. Numerous studies over the past 10 years have found no evidence of a rise in sexual assault in areas where individuals can use restrooms based on their gender identity rather than biological identity.

In fact, a 2019 study from the Harvard School of Public Health showed that there is a significant percentage (36 percent) of transgendered youth who experience physical and sexual assault in schools, which restrict restroom use to birth gender.

Yes, some of our students are in danger, but it is our transgendered youth who are the victims. Given that transgendered people have been gaining more freedom to express their true selves in recent decades, it is very probable that Ms. Crawford and others who agree with her have shared public restrooms with transgendered individuals many times and never even knew it.

The tone of Ms. Crawford’s arguments is not original or new. I’m old enough to remember when a cry of alarm warned of the health and safety dangers of allowing different races to attend the same schools, eat in the same restaurants, drink from the same water fountains and, yes, use the same restrooms.

It was not long ago that my fellow Jews were barred from hotels, public swimming pools, even golf courses for similar reasons. Likewise, the cries of alarm rose when lesbian and gay people were allowed to teach in schools, get married and assume full participation in our civic lives, even to hold key positions in local, state and federal government.

History shows the “warnings” of dire consequences were unfounded and not real. Hopefully, Americans today can recognize arguments like those outlined by Ms. Crawford for being what they are — feeble attempts to normalize and perpetuate hate, discrimination and bigotry.

Finally Ms. Crawford, there is no “transgender ideology” just as there is not “gay agenda.” Could the extreme conservatives please stop using these ridiculous phrases?

Ron Lahti, M.Div.

Belen