op-ed
I'm very interested in getting a copy of this issue, and I understand that we need to spread information about this topic to everyone. So, that makes it reasonable to assume that Imagine RIT is a great place to do this. However, there are factors we need to consider. Open-minded parents will have no problem with the issue, and might grab a few copies for their children. Open discussion about these types of topics are generally welcome in those households.
I am a proud parent of an RIT student. We spent many years teaching our children moral, religious and ethical values we believed were important for them to learn. By the time our children leave for college they have had a lifetime of living by our rules and examples. We have taught them as much as we can and we hope that when they arrive on campus, they have not forgotten the years of values we help to instill. Sexuality is a difficult topic for many people, young and old.
I'm a student at RIT but unlike a lot of other students I'm a trans woman. What that means is that I was assigned male at birth but later recognized that I am not male, and I am not a man. This took 21 years for me to assert and I have suffered for many years while trying to figure why I felt so badly. Today I often dream about how much better my life would be if someone had just told me about trans women when I was younger.