| | Published May 22nd, 2024
| Letters to the editor
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Police parking
As a former member of the Lafayette Commission, I am disappointed to see the police department have decided to park their vehicles all over the street near the Lafayette Library. This parking is for the general public and it is limited to 2 hours.
They even have equipment parked in the middle of the street between the islands.
Every business in the city must provide parking and it does not include parking on the street, and not getting a ticket. If you don't have room for your vehicles, then go rent a storage yard.
It is time for the City Council to tell you to remove your vehicles off the street.
Jim Peacock
Lafayette
Love and Support for Our Lamorinda LGBTQ Community
Greetings from PFLAG Lamorinda!
PFLAG, a national nonprofit organization with a rich 50-year history, is a diverse community of LGBTQ people, their families, friends, and allies, spread across the United States. Our shared mission remains resolute: to ensure that LGBTQ individuals are embraced, protected, empowered, and loved.
PFLAG unambiguously stands with the LGBTQ community and against fear, misinformation, and hate of all kinds. Unfortunately, in recent months, we have observed the distressing actions of a small faction engaging in anti-LGBTQ protests at Lafayette Elementary School. The harmful impact of their daily presence and harassment on the mental well-being of our community members cannot be overstated. To those affected, please know that we see you, we hear you, and we are with you.
It is imperative to acknowledge the vital importance of supporting LGBTQ individuals of all ages. Recent studies reveal that LGBTQ youth face disproportionate mental health challenges due to discrimination and lack of acceptance. Shockingly, research indicates that LGBTQ youth are almost five times as likely to attempt suicide compared to their heterosexual peers. Moreover, fostering an inclusive workplace for LGBTQ individuals has been shown to enhance productivity and cultivate a sense of belonging for all employees.
We are so proud of our neighbors in Lafayette, Lamorinda, and beyond, for flooding our social channels and inbox with notes of encouragement, donating books for our chapter library, and showing up as "just an ally" to hold signs of love. To everyone who has expressed their solidarity with LGBTQ people, particularly youth and families, we extend our deepest gratitude.
We formed our local chapter in 2019 and started out as just a few Lamorinda families meeting up for peer support. Over the past five years, our group has grown into a robust, strong, vibrant, hilarious, and loving community. We invite all who share our mission to join us in creating a more supportive and understanding world for LGBTQ individuals. Together, let's continue to champion love, acceptance, and equality for all members of our community, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Members, Families, and Allies of PFLAG Lamorinda
PFLAGLamorinda.com
Protests Along Moraga Road in Lafayette
In response to the letter published on May 8th addressing protests outside Lafayette Elementary School, we strongly disagree with the primary assertion that the signs and people holding them show no animus towards transgender youth or the LGBTQ community and are simply seeking to inform and protect.
At face value, the messages on the purple posters may not sound harmful or hateful. However, for young people whose perceived gender is different from what is reflected in the mirror, these messages are an attack. The signs tell children and their families that their feelings and struggles are not real, that the medical attention and support they seek is shameful, and that they should wait while nature takes its course, moving their bodies away from their identities. That is animus.
The May 8th letter cherry-picks data and largely ignores the wider medical consensus supporting medical interventions. It also overlooks the fact that reversals in European nations stem from partisan, conservative efforts. Efficacy figures for puberty blockers and other interventions are exceedingly high and demonstrate that these treatments significantly reduce the likelihood of self-harm and set a positive trajectory for the overall wellness of transgender children as they develop.
The prior letter also fails to mention protestor signs targeting elected officials and specific children in our community, which are held aloft as protestors scream and shout words that are neither protective nor kind.
Our community is experiencing a moral panic, and unfortunately, the most vulnerable among us are defenseless against the very real and personal attacks from the purple sign protesters.
We want to finish with a message of hope to these children and their parents: You are not alone, you are worth it, your needs and feelings matter, and there are people here who love and support you-including us.
Rebecca Martin
Moraga
Nikki Cowger
Lafayette |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA