Compassion and courtesy for everyone

More than 1 million transgender individuals in America face discrimination every day.

Every day more than 1 million transgender individuals in America — all of whom have families and friends, jobs and hobbies — face discrimination.

Imagine for a moment how difficult life must be for a transgender person going in for a job interview, trying to rent a house from someone on Craigslist, using the restroom at their school or getting pulled over by a police officer.

And now remember that for these individuals their gender identity is not a choice, but a part of something called gender dysphoria that is recognized by the vast majority of physicians.

The American Psychiatric Association says “people with gender dysphoria may often experience significant distress and/or problems functioning with this conflict between the way they feel and think of themselves (referred to as experienced or expressed gender) and their physical or assigned gender.”

There are members of the U.S. military who have dedicated their lives to defending our nation and our freedoms who also spent years grappling with the distress of knowing their gender was different from their biological sex.

These individuals knew that the high cost of living as they truly are would be expulsion from their jobs — a selfless job that they pursued to keep Americans safe.

President Barack Obama recognized that those individuals should not have to hide who they are — should not have to suffer in silence — and should be able to both serve their country and relieve their internal conflict.

President Donald Trump with the policies his administration has proposed and the statements he has tweeted, views this medical diagnosis as an extreme inconvenience. He succumbs to the worst of society: those who refuse to lift a finger to help a fellow American in distress.

There are children who don’t understand why everyone insists they are one gender.

That conflict can be distressing to an adult, imagine a child trying to grapple with those complex emotions.

Who would deny that child the ability to express their gender in a way that brings them joy and relieves anxiety? Certainly no one who loves and cares for that child would do such a thing.

But only about 0.6 percent of the population identifies as transgender, making it easy for some not to care. It’s easy for politicians and columnists to say it’s not their problem.

Why, some ask, should they have to conform laws, documents and speech to accommodate that which they don’t understand, and don’t care to understand? We urge these individuals to think beyond their own interests to consider the needs of others.

We have long held that there is no freedom to discriminate and our antidiscrimination laws should be enforced to protect the most vulnerable among us including transgender individuals.

And where the law cannot or should not protect people from the callous indifference of others, we will advocate for education that leads to understanding, respect and consideration.

Some states have taken steps in the right direction.

Providing trans individuals with a way to identify their gender on a birth certificate or a driver’s license is a small step. Giving a transgender student a safe, welcoming classroom so they can learn, is an immeasurable gift.

And supporting those in the workforce as they transition, can make a time that is difficult both emotionally and financially, tolerable and survivable.

These compassionate policies have not harmed anyone — other than those who want a license to discriminate.

— The Denver Post, Digital First Media

Giving a transgender student a safe, welcoming classroom so they can learn, is an immeasurable gift.