LETTER: Show some understanding toward the trans community

In his Wednesday column, Victor Joecks notes that many of those involved in recent mass shootings have been transsexual. He also states that people don’t get to choose their sex — or, I might add, sexual orientation. He is correct in both, but as to the latter, what exactly does that mean?

Life is difficult outside of cis-heterosexual norms. Conforming is much easier. But for some, that is not their reality. Most people accept this only after a difficult period of adjustment. With the exception of very few contentious issues — trans women in women’s sports — their decisions affect only themselves.

Mr. Joecks talks about accepting reality, but whose reality? Is the problem their non-conforming reality or a reality limited to Mr. Joecks’ Christian-based norms?

Mr Joecks postulates that their violence is due to their difficulties in accepting their status. I would counter that their violence, while not acceptable, is in large part due to those such as Mr. Joecks who not only seek to deny them their reality but actively harass and degenerate them over it. For some people, there is a limit to how much abuse they can take before they snap.

Mr Joecks might better exhibit the grace of Christian charity toward these struggling people.