Kansas’ transgender legislation would lead to children dying

Kansas kids at risk

Another in a recent slew of red-state trans sports bills, SB 484, passed the Kansas Senate. (March 23, 8A, “Senate passes bill to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports”) This rendition outlaws only trans girls playing sports with other girls and has nothing to say about trans boys.

I am trans masculine, as in, my birth certificate has an “F,” but my burgeoning facial hair begs to disagree. As a childless young adult, I don’t care about children’s or collegiate sports. But, like most reasonable people, I don’t want children to die.

Trans people are already at extremely high risk for suicide. The 2016 National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 41% of trans people have attempted suicide, compared with 1.6% in the general population.

This bill misgenders trans girls to their assigned gender at birth and ignores everything else. Studies have linked misgendering with suicide risk in youth.

I also care deeply about the transphobia that I and my friends experience. Structural discrimination, like SB 484, increases minority stress, which is linked to increased suicide risk in trans people.

Blatant structural transphobia kills trans people, kids included.

- Hunter Duke, Lawrence

Lesson for senators

Watching the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson has taught me two very important things. (March 24, 2A, “US culture wars intrude on court nominee hearings”)

First is that if you stay focused and know your job extremely well, you will show the public a very measured, capable and caring individual who is more than qualified for the job as a Supreme Court Justice.

The other thing, which I suspected but had never seen in such a strong way, is that we have some very unqualified senators as well as senators who hold grudges and approach their jobs with their own agendas. I was ashamed to realize that these people have no idea what it means to be a senator.

Ketanji Brown Jackson is showing us what it truly means to care about your country, to be open to growth and learning, and to listen to people so you can hear what they are trying to say despite their prejudices.

Maybe with her on the Supreme Court, those senators might just grow up.

- Bernadette Stankard, Overland Park

Adolescent Hawley

I wonder if Sen. Josh Hawley realizes how immature he looked to the people of the United States, chomping away on his gum while sitting in review of a Supreme Court nominee. (March 24, 3A, “Hawley questions Jackson’s record on child pornography”)

He reminded me of middle students I’ve had when substitute teaching, sitting in the back of a class, like English or algebra, that they didn’t think really mattered to their lives. How would he feel if a judge he was appearing before acted like that?

- Patsy Svarvari, Smithville

Not-so-free market

It is with dismay that I read about the city’s plan to charge $10 for weekend parking in the City Market, an area where parking was previously free or affordable. (March 23, 11A, “Drivers must soon pay for parking at KC’s River Market”)

People are not going there to tailgate and spend the day partying, but to procure fresh food for their families, support local farmers and street musicians, eat freshly cooked food of different ethnicities, and enjoy a fun environment. If you want quick parking, get out of bed and get there before all the spots are taken or hold off until the mid-morning rush is gone.

Yes, the parking situation is challenging. Raising prices astronomically is not the answer. Paying an outside company half a million annually to decrease traffic is short-sighted and will only hurt all parties involved.

I’m not sure most market shoppers want to lay out $10 so they can enjoy this environment. A better plan would be to highlight bus service to the area, which is already in place.

Please get input from a significant portion of those shopping at the City Market and reconsider your plan.

- Suzann G. Meyer, Kansas City

Offensive remarks

I want to congratulate Rep. Ponka-We Victors, the first Native American woman to serve as chair of the Kansas House of Representatives. I want to remind Rep, John Wheeler that his remarks were offensive and insensitive. (March 25, 2A, “Native woman heading Kan. House faces insensitive remark”)

Randy Watson, Kansas’ commissioner of education, knew he was being offensive as well. (Feb. 26, 15A, “Kansas education commissioner facing calls to resign”) These kinds of remarks are considered racist.

Think about that, and what you’re teaching your children and grandchildren.

My father was born and died a proud Native American. What you say, people hear and read — not just in Kansas. Hurtful words are like a bullet, once it leaves the gun/mouth there’s no stopping the damage it will do.

- Patricia Gonzales, Greensboro, North Carolina

Marshall’s law

Sen. Roger Marshall has vigorously voiced his support for the Ukrainians’ fight to maintain their democracy and independence, calling for U.S. companies to discontinue business in Russia.

I wonder why he is not demanding the same for Koch Industries, which has been doing business with Russia since 1928. Koch’s political action committee has contributed thousands of dollars to Marshall’s campaigns. Maybe that’s why.

- Everett Murphy, Kansas City