A recreation center’s essential purpose should be providing the facilities and opportunities for people to pursue healthy lives by promoting exercise, healthy eating, outdoor living, and quality sleep. Receiving the hard-earned dollars of taxpayers in Eagle County puts Mountain Recreation in a unique position and includes an additional level of responsibility to appeal to all taxpayers within these reasonable constraints. On our dollar, Mountain Recreation has stepped outside of these very appropriate bounds by promoting policies in their facilities and programs that do not prioritize fair athletic opportunities for our girls.
I explicitly affirm that all people are created equal and have immeasurable value. I speculate that the prominent display of pride flags in Mountain Recreation facilities and the embrace of biological boys in all-girls camps and sports come from a place of perceived compassion and love.
Unfortunately, the heart to include and affirm contrary to biological reality can result in the direct discrimination of females who are biologically and physiologically different from males. It is neither hateful nor discriminatory to recognize that which is biologically and physiologically true. Neither is less valuable than the other, but the unwillingness to distinguish between the two can lead to discrimination against our girls, and the regression of previously made progress for females athletically, as exemplified by Lia Thomas’ decisive victory at the NCAA Swimming Championships.
A heart of compassion for those who are struggling with their gender does not negate the impact of transgender affirming policies on our girls and the opportunities that may be unfairly taken from them as a result.
We owe it to our girls to acknowledge biological and physiological truths, protecting girls’ athletics and opportunities. And in the meantime, to carefully consider whether Mountain Recreation should receive an additional $40 million on this May’s ballot.
Heather Bergquist
Gypsum