Victor Joecks column on Clark County School District and transgender youth was outrageous

Victor Joecks’ column about teen girls allegedly being uncomfortable with a transgender youth in their locker room left me disgusted and outraged (“Teen girls ‘uncomfortable’ with CCSD making locker room coed,” Wednesday Review-Journal).

Let’s first deal with what’s missing from Mr. Joecks’ piece: There’s no suggestion that this transgender student is doing anything wrong. It appears — even from the column — that no one can express any problems other than their own fears.

This child is showing incredible bravery coming out as transgender in school. According to a 2015 study by the National Center for Transgender Equality, more than 77 percent of those who are transgender or are perceived as transgender report being negatively harassed at school. Those who have been harassed at school were more likely to report attempting suicide (52 percent), experiencing homelessness (40 percent) and being physically assaulted (24 percent) and sexually assaulted (13 percent). And 28 transgender persons, mostly young adult transwomen of color, were murdered last year.

Those percentages and dangers drop significantly when transgender youth have support from their families, friends, employers and schools to live their lives in accordance with their gender identity, including using their preferred bathrooms and locker rooms. The Clark County School District is moving in the right direction by giving them that support.

There will be a long public comment period at the district Board of Trustees meeting this week, I’m sure. I urge everyone to listen to the transgender people and students who come forward to testify. Listen to their experiences and fears and how they recommend things change to help vulnerable transgender students. Our community will be better for it if we do.