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Truth

To the editor:

As an avid reader of Mr. Thom’s LTE’s, I am relieved that he has finally conceded his misunderstanding of legal statute and has now moved on to attempting to convince readers of the morality of his position. It takes a very brave person to acknowledge when they have been confused and I respect Mr. Thom for taking a step back; the legality of LGBTQ student rights is not up for debate. I, too, will make a concession acknowledging that Mr. Thom is able to advocate for infringing on the rights of LGBTQ students based on his moral standpoint, given that “morality” itself is implicitly open to individual interpretation. While there is no legal basis for his argument, we are all entitled to our individual thoughts and beliefs, and a forum such as this is an appropriate avenue for Mr. Thom to air his grievances.

For the sake of discussion, let us for a moment examine how Mr. Thom chooses to use the word “truth.” In his letter, Mr. Thom claims that “there are two genders” is a truth upheld by some and denied by others. Where does this truth come from? Throughout all of recorded history, different cultures have identified a plethora of various genders; amongst the animal kingdom (human and otherwise) there are also many examples of species not conforming to a simple male/female gender dichotomy scientifically speaking. The truth, based on this knowledge, is that “there are only two genders” is a relatively recent socially constructed concept, generally based on religious beliefs. This truth is one which is denied by some and upheld by others.

My truth is that kindness, empathy, and respect should be afforded to all.

Mrs. Casey McMullen

New Ulm

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