Letters for May 15, 2023

Misleading headline

A recent headline on The Spokesman-Review website was terribly misleading when it referred to a “glaring uptick in anti-trans laws” (in print: “Anti-trans laws nationwide rattle local community,” April 29). Some of what the trans community refers to as anti-trans, many people would call “protecting children from abuse.” What they call gender -affirming health care for minors is really hormone treatments and surgery that can permanently change their bodies. No child should undergo such radical treatment if it cannot be reversed later on. To understand fully the devastation that this has caused some youth, please watch the video of Chloe Cole, who underwent and deeply regrets having this extreme treatment when an impressionable teen. (bit.ly/3LIPA4I)

Trans advocates also are upset with the movement to prevent transgender females (biological males) from participating in female sports. One result of Title IX, passed years ago after a long, hard fight, required that equal opportunities be provided to men and women in athletic programs.

Now that progress is regressing. Take the example of Lia Thomas, transgender female swimmer, who has experienced much more success as a female swimmer than when she was competing as a male. It is unfair to biological females such as swimmer Riley Gaines, who has courageously been speaking out against the practice of transgender females competing with true females. Riley continues to speak out even though she was assaulted and had to be escorted to safety after a recent speech.

Sadly many people are afraid to speak up about these issues but it is important that we all do so.

Gretchen McDevitt

Spokane

Solar roofing

Why don’t we make roofing out of solar panels instead of damaging a roof by putting solar panels over it?

Candy Frankel

Spokane