To the Editor:
Re “A Who’s Who in Biden’s Search for Vice President” (news article, June 28):
The former vice president has a number of very capable and exciting choices. I’d like to propose that instead of making the decision himself, Joe Biden invite the delegates to the Democratic convention to consider three finalists that he will name before the convention. He should let the delegates make the final decision among the three finalists.
This would add some excitement to a convention that may be held by Zoom and for now has no suspense.
A suspense-free convention won’t attract many viewers, a lost opportunity to reach voters. There would be more scrutiny of potential vice-presidential nominees between now and the convention. Embarrassing information about any of them would be disclosed before the nomination, not after, when it’s too late. And, if the delegates are excited about the eventual choice, voter participation in November will be greater, increasing the chances of a Biden victory.
The vice-presidential nominee is likely to be the front-runner for the Democratic nomination in four or eight years. Why not provide the most active Democrats in the country with the chance to help select our future leadership team?
Paul Feiner
Greenburgh, N.Y.
The writer is Greenburgh’s town supervisor.
Caring for Transgender Patients
To the Editor:
Re “Sex Does Not Mean Gender. Equating Them Erases Trans Lives,” by Devin Michelle Bunten (Op-Ed, nytimes.com, June 23):
The news regarding the removal of nondiscrimination protections for transgender people in health care will likely worsen levels of stress, particularly among trans youth and young adults who already have disproportionately higher rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm and suicide.
Shortly after the news was released, several gender-diverse patients voiced their concern and questioned how their medical care will be affected.
As medical professionals, we must speak up and advocate for our vulnerable patients, abiding by our ethos of “do no harm.” We must vocalize the importance of respecting preferred names and pronouns, and advocate for institutional commitments to nondiscrimination for our transgender patients.
This will be especially important in states that stigmatize and socially discriminate against sexual and gender minorities. As partners in health care, we must empower our gender-expansive and transgender patients to live their authentic lives and try to minimize the toll of exclusion and discrimination.
Lala Tanmoy Das
Jane Chang
New York
Mr. Das is a medical student. Dr. Chang is a pediatrician and an adolescent medicine specialist.
Make the Queensboro Bridge Car-Free
To the Editor:
Re “A Proposed Link for Manhattan and Queens, for Bikes and Pedestrians Only” (news article, June 25):
As much as we appreciate big-picture thinking about bike infrastructure, we favor more immediate action to make the Queens-Manhattan bike trip safer and less crowded.
The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge’s south roadway should be made into a walkway, with the north roadway converted to a two-way, bicycle-only path. This approach is supported by Manhattan and Queens elected officials and community boards and could be executed with minimal cost and put into effect immediately.
In the best circumstances, a new bridge could take more than a decade to build. It would face input from parties ranging from the U.S. Coast Guard and state environmental regulators to Roosevelt Island residents rightly concerned about being passed over by yet another structure.
Ben Kallos
Danny Harris
Ken Podziba
New York
Mr. Kallos is a member of the New York City Council. Mr. Harris is executive director of Transportation Alternatives, and Mr. Podziba is president and chief executive of Bike New York.