In his latest opinion piece (Echo Journal, March 30, 2022) on transgender people in sports, Mr. Abler wrote, “I don’t believe we should buy anything that attempts to trump science with emotions - however well-intentioned that may be.”
This is delusional. Emotions - for example, revulsion and fear - easily trump science in legislative halls.
The Republican legislature in Utah passed a transgender law. The Republican governor, Spencer Cox, vetoed the law. He wrote an explanation for his vote. In it, he cited that 56% of transgender people had attempted suicide and that 20% more had suicidal thoughts. He stated there were 75,000 high school sports participants of which only four were transgender kids.
He wrote the following: “Four kids and only one of them playing girls sports. That’s what all of this is about. Four kids who aren’t dominating or winning trophies or taking scholarships. Four kids who are just trying to find some friends and feel like they are a part of something. Four kids trying to get through each day. Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few.”
I think the fear and anger is directed mainly at one person - the one playing in a girl sport. All of the conservative fear mongering mentions only girl sports.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gov. Cox goes on: “I don’t understand what they are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live.”
The Republican legislature didn’t buy these “woke” thoughts and promptly overrode the veto. Girl sports were not going to be corrupted by these creatures.
Besides, dealing with the issue with compassion would require recognizing transgender people as humans with feelings that we all have. Compassion might require one to recognize one’s own prejudices and fears. Best to be done with it.
Robert Eliason,
Lake Shore
