I am a resident of PTC. Recently, I was reading one of the newspapers and came across an article, “I am Jazz: Parents, beware of this attack on our children,” written by Josh Saefkow.
I was wondering why during this time of hate and confusion that The Citizen found it appropriate to spread more hate and prejudice throughout Fayette County.
I found the article to be hateful and ignorant. I had many problems with it. First, he begins the article with a summarization of the Pearl Harbor attacks.
This attack was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. Why should this be compared with gender identity education?
Thousands of people were devastated by the attack physically and emotionally. Gender identity education will empower confused transgender youth and bring light to a serious issue that is especially prevalent in conservative states like Georgia.
Another concept I found challenging in the article is the assumption made by Saefkow that Jazz Jennings is depressed, imbalanced, and has self-identity issues.
How could he know that is what she is going through? Much of Jennings’s problems probably will and have come from people telling her what she is and isn’t, like Saefkow is. What proof does he have that she has these problems?
He also mentions that we would be adulterating the minds of children. How would educating children about gender identity do this? Imagine being a child who feels uncomfortable with the gender they were assigned to. Would they feel happier if they read a book about what they were struggling with and how to overcome it or if they read an article that told them that this is how they are supposed to be and that how they feel is wrong and dirty?
And just to be clear, one does not “become” transgender; you are born transgender. Just like you can’t become a different race, you cannot become transgender.
I completely understand that the opinion article is simply an opinion. But you shouldn’t respect an opinion that doesn’t respect someone’s existence. I would hope in the future that these types of opinions would not appear in The Citizen, or any newspaper, for that matter. Shouldn’t we be spreading love and acceptance?
Abby Weinreb
Peachtree City, Ga.
