‘Friendly’ Cole’s column on trans ‘culture wars’ isn’t so friendly

Althea Cole's Sunday column about bathroom restrictions has "culture wars" written all over it. The context is a partisan resolution being considered in the U.S. House of Representatives that was proposed to prevent one of its newly elected members from using the women's restroom.

Cole uses the tired oft-used MAGA tactic of dehumanizing groups that she dislikes. She repeatedly refers to the "trans advocacy machine." No, transgender individuals are not machines, they are people. Whatever concerns you have about bathrooms (or sports competitions, mentioned later, or whatever), wouldn't it help to treat everyone involved as a person? Taking rights away from a machine is one thing, but it doesn't sound so benign when we talk about taking them away from people — and making new members of Congress feel specifically targeted as unwelcome. Someone who touts herself as "your friendly neighborhood opinion columnist" should not sound so unfriendly.

Russ Lenth

North Liberty