Attack Against Keith Stamm

Reading School District Board of Directors
800 Washington St.
Reading, PA 19601-3616

Dear School Board Members, Dr. Chapman and staff:

Mr. Keith Stamm's obvious disdain for Keith Haring's depiction of a transsexual - or, as Mr. Stamm preferred to say at the February board meeting, the "he-she" - exemplifies the very attitudes and prejudice that should preclude him from being a board member.

After viewing Haring's work at the Reading Museum, I see that he was most concerned with the celebration of life, even under the most depressing of circumstances, and an obvious desire to bring unity and understanding to disparate groups of people.

Haring's image that Mr. Stamm finds so offensive perhaps depicts gender confusion felt by many adolescents or is perhaps a Jungian archtetype for the balance of the feminine and masculine; but it is certainly not, as Mr. Stamm so obviously believes, some sort of sexual perversion.

Mr. Stamm's obnoxious reaction, moreover, is certainly rooted in misconceptions about and prejudice against transsexuals and hermaphroditism.

Most transsexuals, or more appropriately those who opt for gender reassignment, do so for physical or physiological reasons; especially because of hormonal imbalance or because they were born as hermaphrodites. For many, the search to become comfortable with their bodies is also the search for peace of mind.

I am both appalled and saddened that Mr. Stamm does not, or chooses not to understand the complex issues that underlie Haring's art. His preference to censor Haring's art rather than understand it only reinforces prejudice, stifles creativity and discourages learning about the diversity and beauty of the world we live in and is yet to be discovered.

All of these traits are contrary to what our school district teaches and should not be exemplified by any member of the school board.

Sincerely,

Wayne Jonas Bealer