Wednesday 26th, 2006 Transsexual article lacks class The Register-Guard never ceases to amaze me. Here we are, an area of 250,000-plus citizens in Lane County, in a town with a nationally recognized university and a diverse populace whose members seem to coexist despite their political and cultural differences. We are blessed with several fine school districts, churches for most faiths, organizations that equal those of any town of any size in this fine country who provide food, clothing and shelter for the homeless and indigent. Yet The Register-Guard, instead of heralding the populace with its devotion and commitment to good family values and support of the area as a whole, acts like a tabloid with its Oct. 15 front-page coverage of a questionable lifestyle where a man becomes a woman in a heterosexual relationship for all to see - in color, no less. Then, to shock the senses even with more aggressive acceptance, the newspaper adds two more pages of unbelievable satire aimed at convincing their readers that we all must believe and accept, without question, this surely bizarre relationship into our homes, churches and our students who also read this rag. I am embarrassed for The Register-Guard. Embarrassed for what it owes its readers: tasteful, insightful and prudent coverage of events of the area, the country and the world, without prejudice and without a personal slant. Class is a part of character that reveals a person's intentions. The Register-Guard is expected to exhibit some semblance of this trait to its readers. JOHN CAUDILL Eugene ------------------------------------------ Thursday 27th, 2006 Gender proof still discriminates On behalf of "Back2Back: Allies for Human Dignity," a program of the Community Alliance of Lane County, we strongly support adding gender identity and gender expression to Eugene's human rights code. People whose gender expression varies from social norms - especially transgender people - face enormous discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. This translates to high rates of unemployment and homelessness. Basic civil rights protection is needed. An amendment requiring documentation has been proposed, but making people show proof of their gender raises serious questions. Who will be asked for documentation? When, where, and by whom will proof be required? If some people are asked, shouldn't everyone be asked? Would the city cover costs of acquiring documentation? Is that what we want? ID checks at the locker room door? Why allow our fears to curtail our freedoms? Many transgender people are poor, face job discrimination and lack community and family support. They can't afford visits to doctors and therapists to gain documentation. For most trans folks, sexual reassignment surgery is unattainable. Everyone should be equally protected from discrimination. A human rights code that protects some and ignores others is not worthwhile. We strongly urge the City Council to adopt the inclusive code change language - without a documentation requirement - recommended by the Gender Identity Work Group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission. SALLY SHEKLOW T.K. McDONALD Eugene --------------------------------------------------------- Thursday 27th, 2006 Story wasn't worth front page I like to sit down to a leisurely breakfast on weekend mornings, drink my tea and read the paper while breakfast is being prepared. It's a time to relax after the stress of the workweek. On the morning of Oct. 15 I sat down as usual, and what do I see plastered across the front page but a man turned into a woman. It may not be politically correct, but I have to say it offended me to the extreme. These people have every right to live their lives in any manner they choose, and I don't mind such inflammatory journalism so much somewhere else in the paper other than on the front page. It isn't even newsworthy. It is quite obvious that The Register-Guard supports and promotes this sort of lifestyle, since it seems to be one of the newspaper's favorite front-page spreads. Cancel my subscription to The Register Guard. I'll get my news from another source. JOHN TATUM Cheshire ------------------------------------------------------- Friday October 28th Bathroom issue a surprise On a recent Saturday, as I was warming into my daily hour of hate and loathing of anything Bush, I spotted that morning's edition of this fine publication (Register-Guard, Oct. 15). Just when some of us were bemoaning the paucity of truly progressive causes to embrace - shazam! Apparently Eugene's mayor, City Council and a plethora of heretofore obscure commissions have been burning the midnight oil splitting hairs over issues that I must admit had escaped my attention. It seems that a large percentage of the good folks residing in Eugene have issues regarding their gender and how exactly to get a bathroom pass when nature calls. The transsexuals (pre- and post-surgery), transvestites and, my personal favorite, gender queers, are in a tizzy over who goes where and how. The mayor won't take a stand until unanimity prevails. Nice move, your honor. Solomon would be proud. These folks can't even decide which sex they are. Please refer all city officials to that nifty glossary that was in the article. Mine's on the fridge. Perhaps after the dust settles on this one we can take up the next cause: the plight of the transspecied! CARLTON SMITH Florence ----------------------------------------------- Friday October 28th Trans issue is about respect I and the 27 other women who signed letters to the Eugene Human Rights Commission asking to include in the code change transgendered documentation would like to set the record straight. This is the situation that concerns us: A transgendered person with male genitalia enters the women's showers at the YMCA. The person disrobes and enters the women's steam room. A few minutes, later a mother and her daughter also enter the women's shower, disrobe and walk into women's steam room. With the proposed code, the trans person has the right to be there and fully enjoy the use of the facility. But what about the rights of the mother and child? Not only has the mother's right regarding what she's exposed to been taken away, but also her right as a parent to control what her child is exposed to. This is the kind of situation we are trying to address. It isn't about rest- rooms. It's our recognition and concern for the rights of everyone in the community, and not just for our- selves. The documentation requirement is actually our third attempt to modify the code language. The first two were to eliminate some wording and to prohibit opposite-gender genital exposure in showers and locker rooms. All of these changes have been opposed by some in the trans community. We are left, then, with pursuing a documentation clause as used in other cities such as Portland. Human rights are about respect. Respect for everyone. Please let the human rights commission know about your concern for this issue. REBECCA TAYLOR Eugene