Dear Editor,
This letter is to express my disgust and concern with the results of our Woman of the Year award. Honoring a person who was recently fired for violating a patient’s rights (in the form of misgendering) sends the message to our LGBTQIAA+ community that they do not matter (further evidenced by our inability to hold pride festivities). It also tells children that if someone is popular, they don’t have to follow the rules. Lifting up this person who has recently been punished for doing wrong demonstrates the wide rift in our town. On one side: progress, growth, kindness, community. On the other: bigotry, discrimination, classism & clinging to “old ways” that never served everyone.
Doctors are entitled to opinions like everyone else, but are also charged to do no harm and provide unbiased care. Anyone who has ever been doubted or disrespected by a doctor should be appalled by this award. Many know the pain of being a child and not being believed, it is a terrible feeling. A doctor should never make a child feel this way (besides being immoral and mean, it is against the law). Intentionally misgendering someone is a form of emotional abuse, and it is considered discrimination in Oregon. I hope everyone in our community, including Dana Kosmala, educate themselves by reading first hand accounts of the experiences of trans people.
To reiterate: the deciding body should be ashamed of themselves that they awarded this honor to Dana Kosmala, when there are so many other deserving women in our community who were not recently fired for discriminating against a child.
We have a choice: to roll with the progress and embrace ALL members of our community, or to continue exclusionary practices that keep our town clique-y and small. This year, apparently, we chose the latter.
Sincerely, please just let us have a pride and stop awarding bigots.
Linzy Lingo
Lebanon