When Todd Welch was first brought on as a regular columnist for The Herald, he promised to be a moderate, slightly more conservative, but nonetheless compassionate voice to balance out the paper’s “liberal bias.” Unfortunately, Welch’s columns have instead parroted radical right-wing talking points, and his latest concerning Initiative to the Legislature 26-638 is no different (“Welch: Taking intitiave for parents and fair play,” The Herald, Nov. 12). Since Welch seems so concerned about keeping the record straight on this initiative, I’ll provide some much-needed context he conveniently left out.
Fact: They are not “biological males”; they are transgender girls. To call them anything else is transphobic and harmful in a time when our trans community is under increasing attack from our own government.
Fact: This “nonpartisan” initiative is anything but; it’s being funded entirely by right-wing multi-millionaire Brian Heywood and his paid signature gatherers. Let’s Go Washington also has deep ties to the state’s Republican Party.
Fact: Welch claims gender exams are “routine” for school sports. Well, if they’re so routine, why not make the boys do it, too? The language in IL-26-638 explicitly calls out girls sports only. Aren’t gender purists worried about “biological girls” sneaking their way onto boys’ sports teams?
Transgender youth have some of the highest rates of depression and suicide ideation in the country. What’s more, I can count the number of transgender youth participating in school sports on one hand; less than 10 in the whole state. At a time when our kids are facing a mounting mental health crisis, we should be offering love and support for kids of all identities, not stigmatizing the marginalized few.
Shannon Ozog Somes
Monroe
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