Paradise Lost
Another ho-hum day in Paradise… you’ll see this on bumper stickers around Estes, and in many ways it’s true… because we’re insulated from many of the ills that plague Colorado.
I’ve been circulating petitions for three initiatives we hope to get on the ballot for voters to decide on in ’26. They’re all about protecting kids. They’re not political issues, rather moral ones.
I was five feet tall and 92 pounds as a high school lacrosse player. That’s why I’m for protecting girls’ sports by prohibiting biological boys from playing in them or sharing locker rooms with girls. It’s not safe or fair.
One of my daughters only wore boys’ clothing for a couple of years when she was young. In today’s world, there are people who’d try to convince her she was born in the wrong body and was really a boy. She’s grown into a wonderful young woman. That’s why I’m all for prohibiting sex change surgeries on minors.
Finally, I’ve been shocked to learn that Colorado is number ten in the nation for human trafficking. That’s why I’m in favor of the initiative that would give life in prison to anyone convicted of buying or selling a child for sex.
If you’d like to know more about these initiatives and how you can sign the petitions (they’re due by the end of the year), you can contact me on Nextdoor or check out ProtectKidsColorado.org. Thanks!
Sibyl Gardner, Glen Haven
The information presented in this letter regarding transgender youth is erroneous and an oversimplification of gender identity issues.
Gender confirmation surgeries for minors are very rare, and usually only involve mastectomies for transgender men. Ironically, early interventions for minors – puberty blockers and later hormone therapy if indicated and medically appropriate – eradicate the need for these (and many other) types of surgeries.
Identifying a transgender child is a much more detailed and in depth process than clothing. Most children explore behaviors associated with different genders at some point in their development. This does not necessarily mean they are transgender, though it can be an indication. Best practice in supporting transgender youth is giving them the time, the space, the support, and the trust necessary to allow them to explore their identity. This is an in depth process spanning many years and involves much courage and determination in regards to the current cultural oppression and political focus.
I understand that this is a popular political debate. Please keep in mind this involves people you might now know or understand. Please do more research before writing public letters. This human experience is wild and vast and mysterious. How much do we not yet know, how much do we have to learn, how might we all benefit from inclusivity and curiosity?
I understand the hysteria against gender identity, but a transgender or gay in a locker room is not any danger beyond what has always existed. Gays have been sharing locker rooms with straights forever. And as for surgery for minors, that is extremely rare, and it should be up to the parents and children. There are lots of safeguards in place to prevent an abuse of this right. I have personally known 3 transgenders who have committed suicide, and this misunderstanding and resulting hatred has contributed to their suffering.
Protecting deviants is not suitable for any society. The youngest women need the most protection because they are the most vulnerable. Allowing males in private female spaces is fundamentally and unequivocally wrong.