Letter: Cartoon is transphobic

I was outraged to see the anti-transgender cartoon in Sunday’s “Opinion” section of the Juneau Empire. The cartoon depicts a beastly, ogre-ish, hairy woman in a dress that is supposed to represent a transgender man. This is not who transgender men are or what they look like. There is such misunderstanding in this country about who trans men and women are and we do not need ignorant cartoons misrepresenting a vulnerable community to continue this lack of education.

Shame on the Juneau Empire for propagating ignorance and anti-trans rhetoric, especially in a town where so many LGBTQ people call home. Symbols of hate like this make trans people and all gender non-conforming people feel horrible and hated simply for existing. This directly leads to depression, substance abuse, self-harm and suicide. We lose many trans lives every year because this world will not accept someone for who they are.

There’s no surprise that in North Carolina, where they are currently battling the effects of anti-trans legislation, the rates of trans suicides are climbing. We do not need the Juneau Empire adding fuel to this right-wing, hateful fire!

You owe a sincere apology to me — a slight, sometimes feminine guy in his 30’s who wears nail polish and performs in drag to entertain this community, and to all other LGBTQ Juneauites, especially to the trans

individuals in our town who have it hard enough as it is.

James Hoagland,

Juneau