Letter to the Editor

Letter+to+the+Editor

Jacob Maples and Jack Tucker

There was recently an article posted by Abri Hausman, titled, “Having a ‘genital preference’ is transphobic.” This article targeted homosexuals and heterosexuals alike, claiming that if anyone has a “genital preference,” they are automatically transphobic. This is politically incorrect and blatantly wrong.

What is transphobia? Transphobia is, according to Merriam-Webster, an “irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against transgender or transsexual people.”

Hausman’s article states, “I’ve heard around the school a couple times that people are ‘okay’ with transgender people, but just wouldn’t date a transgender person because they have a ‘genital preference.’ That’s not accepting of the transgender community. That’s being transphobic.”

Transphobia is discrimination or aversion to transgender people. Calling transgenders or transsexuals “okay” is neither discrimination nor transphobia. It’s people being accepting of it.

Hausman’s article also states,“So they say that they’re ‘okay with it’ but just don’t like to see the effects of transgender people gaining equality and human rights. They say that because they have a shred of morality and know it’s not their place to disagree with someone’s identity. They want to be inclusive because it’s trendy. But they aren’t inclusive. They aren’t ‘slightly transphobic.’ They’re completely transphobic.”

Is it possible that some people are actually somewhat open-minded? Is it possible that people don’t what to be “trendy,” but they actually believe it? No. Anyone who slightly disagrees with a personal choice to change gender is not transphobic. It’s a disagreement.

Hausman’s article is homophobic, heterophobic, and somewhat transphobic. It is straight up discrimination against the homosexual and heterosexual community for the choice they make. That choice being a “genital preference.” The ideas of the whole LGBTQ+ community is to be accepting, non-discriminatory, and limitless to the choice on who to love. Hausman’s entire article goes against these same values.

Hausman states, ”Gender is determined by how one wants to identify and nothing else.” What is wrong with identifying as homosexual or a heterosexual? To the author, everything.

The article says,”You’re just reducing gender down to reproductive organs.” But isn’t that what transgenders and transsexuals do? Aren’t they the ones making a genital choice?

Not all students are transphobic, and just because they have a “gender preference” does not mean they want to discriminate against transgenders. The article “Having a ‘genital preference’ is transphobic” discriminates against heterosexuality, homosexuality, and is the same kind of discrimination transgenders face.

Opinions expressed in editorials are those of the writer(s).  These views may not represent the adviser, The Prowler, advertisers/sponsors, the Starr’s Mill High School administration or staff , or Fayette County Public Schools as a whole.