Editor,

A neighbor’s daughter attends a San Mateo public high school. I asked her: “How many genders are there?” She answered: “Whatever you want to be.” Really? Is this biological science? No, it is the teaching of nonsense.

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(7) comments

jesg
jesg

As much as I want to just ignore this, I also do not want people to think this is the only opinion out there. Transgender and gender non-conforming people have always existed. Acknowledging them and treating them with kindness and respect - as we should be doing for all our neighbors - costs us nothing. They make up a tiny percentage of our population and include people who have made great historical contributions. Sadly, they are misunderstood by many people which makes them easily dehumanized. Now more than ever their identities are being used as a political tool to distract from important issues. A little understanding goes a long way to letting everyone be able to learn, grow and contribute to our community to the maximum of their ability. Let people be themselves and concentrate on real issues we should all be working on like housing, the economy and education. There are real problems with our education system, but despite what some people want us to believe, extremely little time is spent mentioning the existence of transgender and gender nonconforming people. Let's look for the actual areas where we can improve outcomes for all our kids and stop obsessing over this small, marginalized group.

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Dirk van Ulden
Dirk van Ulden

JESG - what makes you think that we are "obsessing over this small, marginalized group" ? If one believes the articles in the SF Chronicle all of those of us with simple XX and XY chromosomes are now marginalized. And if they are such a small group, why do they require so much disproportionate attention?

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jesg
jesg

That’s the point, this shouldn’t be an issue. They have existed forever and yet it’s just in the last few years that it’s suddenly a crisis all over the news. Just let people be themselves.

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MichKosk
MichKosk

Everyone should be treated with respect, agreed. However it is impossible to change sex and I do not want my children or future grandchildren to learn in school that it is. And yes this regressive ideology is taught in schools- have you seen the "genderbread person" or "gender unicorn?" Girls that like sports or boys who play with dolls are told they might really be the opposite sex! Instead of "letting people be themselves" (which I wholeheartedly support) they are told they were born wrong and should change their bodies.

So once this unhealthy ideology is not taught in schools, irreversible, sterilizing hormones and procedures to make one appear as the opposite sex are banned for kids, and men/boys who think they are women/girls are banned from women's sports, spaces, locker rooms, shelters, prisons etc. I will stop "obsessing".

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MichKosk
MichKosk

Thank you doctor, are you taking new patients?

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Lou
Lou

Dr. Paslin - Bravo! Well said!

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keanedm
keanedm

My big problem with the Doctor's comment is that he seems to confuse sex and gender in his comment. There are two sexes - we all are one or the other sex at birth. Not gender. Isn't science wonderful.

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