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Newsroom: (541) 346-5511 Suite 300, Erb Memorial Union P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 Email: editor@dailyemerald.com Online Edition: www.dailyemerald.com Tuesday, November, 19,2002 -Oregon Daily Emerald Commentary Editor in Chief: Michael J. Kleckner Managing Editor Jessica Richelderfer Editorial Editors: Salena De La Cruz, Pat Payne Editorial City Council’s transgender vote lets confusion turn to prejudice Well admit it. The issue of transgender people using pub lic restrooms is confusing. While that shouldn’t be an ex cuse for continued discrimination, the issue is perplexing. In some regards, one might ask, how did this come up? There must have been instances of discrimination. But if someone has the genitalia and/or reproductive organs of a male, but considers him/herself a woman and dresses and behaves like a woman, then is anyone really going to stop him/her from entering a women’s restroom? How would anyone know the person wasn’t a woman? What about a person who has ambiguous genitalia and/or reproductive organs and masculine physical features, but still dresses and behaves like a woman? As we said in our original editorial on this topic, which is more disconcerting, having a masculine-looking but feminine-dressed person use a men’s restroom or a women’s restroom? And what if the masculine-looking but feminine-dress ing person really is a woman? Will people make that woman use the men’s restroom because they suspect she may be a biological male? Will there need to be “gender and sex” police stationed outside all bathrooms? Yes, the issue is confusing (and we haven’t even broached the subject of using public showers, an even more frightening idea for many transgender people), but it isn’t acceptable that Mayor Jim Torrey and the Eugene City Council used “confusing” to justify con tinued discrimination. Eugene, apparently, is tolerant of difference just as long as it’s not too different. From reading local press and hearing elected officials’ comments, it seems that trans gender issues are just too much for people to wrap their brains around. It’s really not that difficult. Some people are bom with genitalia and reproductive organs that are clearly either male or female, and some of those people also identify with the masculine or feminine gender, respectively. But some people identify with a gender that doesn’t match their sex. In some cases, the genitalia does not match the repro ductive organs. Yes, Virginia, some people are bom with a penis and ovaries. Big deal. These people deserve the same respect and dignity — and right to use public facili ties — as people whose gender matches their sex. We do have an easy, obvious solution to the problem, not that anyone will adopt it: Make restrooms unisex, as is common in other countries. Then, the whole issue of who is entering which restroom would evaporate. (And male predators currently rape women in restrooms, so that specter brought up by councilors is fallacious.) With unisex facilities, parents worried about their op posite-sex children could use the bathroom with them. And think of the money businesses would save — they could consolidate expensive toilets and sinks. It’s sad that City Council will have to revisit this issue when its more comfortable with the idea. In the mean time, transgender people are less comfortable in public, and that’s wrong. Editorial policy This editorial represents the opinion of the Emerald editorial board. Responses can be sent to letters #dailyemerald.com. Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged. Letters are limited to 2S0 words and guest commentaries to S 50 words. Editorial board memberfi MichaelJ. Kleckner Editor in chief Salena De La Cruz Editorial editor Jessica Richeiderfer Managing editor Pat Payne Editorial editor Jenna Cunningham Student representative Former President Franklin D. Roo sevelt once said, “There is nothing so American as our national parks. ... The fundamental idea behind the parks... is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the en richment of the lives of all of us.” Roo sevelt’s idealistic view of national parks was shattered last week by President Bush. Bush has turned “our” national parks into nothing more than a “snow mobilers-only” club. Last week, Bush proposed allowing the number of snowmobiles to rise in Yellow stone and Grand Teton National Parks, reversing a decision made by the Clinton admin istration to protect the natural beauty of the two parks. By allowing more snowmobiles into the parks, Bush is defying public opinion, as well as 13 years of testing that proves snowmobiles are detrimental to the environment of the parks. The Environmental Protection Agency reviewed scientific studies con ducted in Yellowstone by government agencies, the snowmobile industry and universities, and it found that snowmo bile use in Yellowstone is threatening Kathryn Petersen In other words both environmental and human health. But Bush ignored the EPA’s findings and recommendation to decrease snowmo biling in the parks. Snowmobiles produce obscene levels of pollution. An average snowmobile en gine can cause as much air pollution in one day as a modem car driven 100,000 miles. To protect park rangers from the noxious chemicals, special kiosks were built at the entrances of the parks for per mit checks. They include ventilation sys tems, allowing fresh air to circulate. Before the kiosks, the rangers were getting headaches and nose bleeds and having eye problems because of breath ing snowmobile exhaust. Preposterous as it may seem, some of the park employees are even issued gas masks. Too bad the animals that inhabit the parks can’t be fitted with them. Yellowstone is home to the last wild bison herd in America. During the win ter months, these bison, as well as oth er wildlife, are at their most vulnerable due to the cold weather and lack of food. Snowmobiles don’t make their sit uation better. Some animals, bison in cluded, have become accustomed to the loud machines and are no longer afraid of them. As a result, snowmobile operators get the benefit of getting a wildlife-safari-type feel without those pesky attendants looking out to make sure that the patrons aren’t maimed or killed by the wild animals. Harassment and disturbance are two direct impacts, but more serious im pacts occur indirectly. As natural re production ceases, the steadily rising number of snowmobiles entering the national parks could play a hand in wip ing out a species or two. Snowmobiles have access to millions of acres of land, including national forests and other public lands. Many of these lands are close to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Why not utilize these lands and leave the parks pristine for those who wish to enjoy the land in clean silence? Instead of being places to revere nat ural beauty, these national parks are turning into a snowmobilers’ paradise. Rather than listening to a geyser erupt, listen instead to the insipid whine of a snowmobile. Rather than watch ani mals in their natural surroundings, watch instead the trail of smoke pour out of a snowmobile’s exhaust pipe. Rather than breathe clean mountain air, inhale instead the toxic vapors that spew from one of the 1,100 potential snowmobiles that visit the parks daily. Visit a national park in the winter? Not me. I can’t afford a respirator. Contact the columnist atkathrynpetersen@dailyemerald.com. Her views do not necessarily represent those of the Emerald. Letters to the editor Bush shows heroism in stand against Iraq I would like to applaud President Bush for his heroic stance against Saddam Hussein. It is very relieving to me to see that there is someone in our government who puts the safety and security of the American people as such a high priority. I understand that war results in tragedy and sorrow, but sometimes force is the only guarantee of freedom. It is the presi dent’s burdensome duty to protect the American people and I am glad to see that he is doing it. I think that if there were a Bush-like figure in the 1930s who had enforced the Treaty of Versailles, then perhaps Hitler would never have been able to launch World War II, and thus 50 million people would not have died. That fact of the matter is that Saddam Hussein has been in violation of a treaty he signed and it very much reassures me to see that someone in the world cares enough to do something about it. Zachary White sophomore history Money trumps decency “An equal-opportunity, affirmative-ac tion institution committed to cultural di versity and compliance with the Ameri cans with Disabilities Act.” An obvious product of a committee, it’s not very catchy, but that’s what it says on all offi cial University (excuse me: “O”) corre spondence. The University also has a Martin Luther King Jr. award granted to those members who have best furthered the cause of human rights on campus. In order to get a degree, undergradu ates must complete a minimum of two courses dealing with gender and minority issues. Add to all this a permanent Office of Affirmative Action located over in “O” Hall, and one might get the impression that respect for human rights is very im portant to the administration. Unless, of course, there’s a moneymak er at stake, such as anything related to the Ducks. Then all the sanctioned nobil ity goes out the window (along with the Worker Rights Consortium), and KUGN’s Michaels — both Savage and Medved — get a wink and a nod. Get used to it, as the “O” becomes more and more a profit-oriented organi zation, and cash flow takes precedence over decency. Bill Smee kiosk attendant