I have a good friend who is transgender — the economist Deirdre McCloskey, who has published a wonderful memoir (entitled “Crossing”) of her life and transition — but I have some concerns about some current legislation.
Should it be prohibited or allowed for people under the age of 18 to have gender-changing surgery and, for that matter, hormonal treatments with irreversible effects?
While I strongly support treating transgender girls and women as the gender they identify themselves as, there might be exceptions for some sports where growing up male, with the resulting musculature and body build, might give an unfair advantage.
How to deal with these questions? I think it’s not simply “we favor” or “we oppose” — there must be some nuances that reasonable people can discuss.
— Rick Wicks
Anchorage
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