Last week, during the open forum section of the Becker School Board meeting, one concerned citizen claimed it was an invasion of student privacy for their teachers to ask for preferred pronouns. I would like to refute this claim.

The way I see it, asking a student for their pronouns is no more invasive than asking if they have a preferred nickname. Both are geared towards ensuring the student is comfortable in their learning environment and creating a positive relationship between teacher and student. 

I know that gender dysphoria, or being unhappy with one’s assigned gender, is a difficult concept to grasp. I don’t pretend to understand it myself. I was born female, and I’m happy to be female. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to be anything other than the gender they were assigned at birth. I doubt I will ever understand.

That being said, there are people who feel that way. In fact, more and more people seem to feel this way about themselves and their gender. It’s a part of our culture, whether or not we understand why these individuals feel this way.

Transgender people matter. They matter because they are Americans, and all Americans matter. They matter because they are human, and all humans matter. They, like your sons and daughters, deserve an education where unacceptance does not cause them to fail classes, drop out of school, and start their adult life with no support from the community where they were raised.

Jesus wants you to love all people. ALL people. Even the ones with whom you disagree. I’d argue that love is especially important when you disagree with a person’s choices. 

No, it is not always comfortable adapting to change and calling transgender people by different pronouns. But it can mean a lot to teenage students who are trying to find their place in the world. We’ve all been teenagers. It’s hard figuring out who you are! Imagine trying to do so when the world doesn’t approve of your chosen identity.

Regardless of your feelings towards transgender issues, I encourage everyone to take a moment and find the love and respect in their hearts that we owe to all our fellow Americans. It will mean the world to these kids if you can.