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