Mailbag: Trans athletes and Title IX

Re “Debate over trans athletes intensifies at Yorba Linda track meet”

As a life-long progressive and supporter of LGBTQ rights, my following opinions and observations may seem contrarian, but I hope not.

The Pilot’s article from last Sunday deals with this issue: Should a biological male be allowed to compete against cisgender, biological females in high school and collegiate athletics? My own opinion on this is an unequivocal no.

I am old enough to remember the second wave of the feminist struggle, and how painstaking progress was for women. A landmark victory for women came in 1972 with Title IX. This legislation prohibited sex-based discrimination in any school receiving federal funding.

Previously, women’s sports were unfunded, but now money must be allocated to women’s sports programs as it was to men’s programs. How anyone can see a biological male competing against young women as not an abrogation of Title IX is mystifying to me.

The Pilot’s article featured a trans female athlete who won first place in a recent competition in multiple jumping events. With little wonder. Post pubescent males (15 to 18) overall have superior bone density, muscle mass, heart and lung capacity and fast twitch muscle fibers — all of which translate to greater explosive strength, speed and power. According to the Journal of Applied Physiology, these attributes provide males with an inherent 10% to 30% advantage in sports where strength, speed and endurance are imperative.

The notion, I would posit, that observable biological gender is somehow negotiable or subjective is preposterous. I object to the persistent notion that gender is assigned at birth, which implies that had that assignment not been made the slate would be blank and a gender could be chosen just like a baby’s name is chosen.

Gender is simply there, biologically and perhaps randomly determined, although it seems that nature is on to something in making us roughly 50% male and 50% female.

As an agnostic, I can assure you that my opinions are not tainted by religion. However, I do bow down to logic, critical thinking, science and common sense.
Ron Terranova
Huntington Beach

The Division 3 women’s track meet in Yorba Linda was won by a trans athlete. According to the mother, her trans daughter is now getting bullied. My message to Ms. Hernandez is the only people who are getting bullied are the girls who don’t stand a chance competing against a trans girl.

If Ms. Hernandez is looking for fairness, how about starting her own trans division. Ever notice why trans women do not compete against men? Because they can’t win. I find it mind numbing this is called a politically charged issue. It’s not, it’s common sense. There is a reason we have men and women’s sports regardless of how one identifies. Nothing political about it.

Juli Hayden
Newport Beach

Democratic newcomer

Re “FPPC fines H.B. officials for not disclosing perks”

There is an interesting corollary to the Daily Pilot article by Matt Szabo, which discloses that current mayor Casey McKeon, former City Atty. Michael Gates and current Councilmembers Pat Burns and Gracey Van Der Mark are being fined by the Fair Political Practices Commission for non-disclosures on their required 2022 Form 700s, also known as statements of economic interest.

While Gates is running for state attorney general, and McKeon and Burns are running for re-election, Van Der Mark is running for an open state Assembly seat in our district, the 72nd. If she bests former H.B. mayor and state Assemblymember Matt Harper in the June primary, Van Der Mark would be facing Democrat newcomer Chris Kluwe.

Would Van Der Mark’s checkered past, lack of transparency, ideological buffoonery, and anti-community policies come back to haunt her when she must step out of her Huntington Beach boundaries? Only, it appears, if her opponent is perceived as being a know-nothing former pro football player with no political chops in Orange County.

So, who is her likely opponent, Chris Kluwe?

Kluwe grew up in Seal Beach, went to Los Alamitos High School where he excelled as a scholar-athlete, earned a full scholarship to UCLA, received his degree in political science and history, and, yes, was one of the nation’s top punters.

He spent eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings as a top NFL punter, but also served as an advocate for civil rights and social causes. Upon returning to Orange County, he settled in Huntington Beach, and again resumed his advocate role in serving the community.

Kluwe is bright, articulate, committed, and personable. He will be a positive force that works well with other legislators in Sacramento. Van Der Mark would be isolated, if not shunned, in Sacramento as an extremist and would be of little help to her constituents.

Voters, especially independents and moderates, must consider who would actually listen to their concerns and be the best representative of district interests. Our next state assembly member should serve everyone in the district well.

Tim Geddes
Huntington Beach

The case for Katrina Foley

We would like to explain why we are voting for Katrina Foley as District 5 Orange County Supervisor on June 2.

We have known Katrina Foley since about 2015 when she was a member of the Costa Mesa City Council, then mayor and then Orange County supervisor. We have observed her attorney, governing, collaboration and public service skills on numerous projects that benefited and strengthened Costa Mesa and Orange County.

She has numerous endorsements and during her five years as O.C. supervisor she has demonstrated an understanding of county governing details, opposed tax increases, and improved government transparency, oversight and accountability. Also, she has established a strong position on the housing shortage by committing to permitting more housing through reducing bureaucratic hurdles and starting construction of market rate housing.

In addition, Foley has accomplished many things throughout her time in public service.

She has supported small businesses by injecting $ 2.2 million to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foley responded to the environmental impact from the 2021 Orange County oil spill and ensured that the responsible party reimbursed those agencies, residents and businesses harmed by the spill.

She has reduced homelessness by securing state and federal funds for permanent supportive housing and allocated funds for unhoused veterans and seniors and for Orange County food banks.

Foley has improved neighborhood safety by fully funding Orange County’s law enforcement agencies and combating the rise in hate crimes.

Lastly, she served as a good steward of our tax dollars by opposing no-bid contracts, improving county government efficiency, and returning approximately $8 million in property tax credits to O. C. homeowners.

We look forward to Katrina Foley’s future accomplishments when she is reelected as Orange County Supervisor for District 5.

Charles and Margaret Mooney
Costa Mesa

Voter intimidation

Democracy is under direct threat, and the Huntington Beach City Council cannot stay silent. There is an active federal discussion about deploying ICE agents at polling locations.

The Heritage Foundation documented 68 cases of noncitizen voting in 40 years. It is a cover story for racism plain, deliberate, and undeniable. Trump is pushing for an election “army” for 2026, despite laws prohibiting military at polling places.

Let us be honest about what ICE at polling locations means: people see ICE, they turn around, they go home — especially people of nonwhite skin. That is not a side effect. That is the goal.

These are agents with a documented record of breaking car windows, injuring people, ignoring due process, and killing American citizens. And if a confrontation occurs outside your polling place, what happens to that election’s integrity?

We watched January 6th. Five officers killed in its aftermath. More than 140 injured. Trump looked at that carnage — and handed out pardons. Now he wants armed ICE agents at your voting polls. This is illegal. U.S. Code expressly prohibits armed federal agents at polling locations — punishable by up to five years in prison.

The pattern is clear: Trump manufactures election lies and confusion, to undermine election results. Jan 6th was the blueprint. The rule of law is under assault by those who place personal power above our republic — and the threat is real. Trump like most voter intimidators are trying to control who votes so they can control the outcome of the election. Deploying ICE there is not simply wrong — it is a federal crime.

So I am asking the Huntington Beach City Council to go on record. Pass a city resolution and tell the feds that Huntington Beach opposes voter intimidation. Every voter has the absolute right to cast their ballot without fear. No ICE agents. No armed intimidation. No exceptions.

We demand enforcement — of civil rights, of equal protection, of the Constitution itself. We expect safe polls for every citizen. Do your job.

Andrew Einhorn
Huntington Beach