On Nov. 8, Maine voters will vote on a law protecting people based on their sexual orientation.

Most people think male, female, heterosexual or homosexual. However, the American Psychiatric Association has published “A Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition), which lists 30 sexual orientations. This poorly worded law opens a confusing world of sexual orientation choices and use of taxpayer dollars.

What has already happened in other states? In Massachusetts, the state health plan was required to pay for a transsexual’s breast reconstruction surgery due to defective breast implants. Minnesota struggles with lawsuits over a transgender person’s “right” to use either bathroom in a public high school. In Wisconsin, a biologically male prisoner sued the state to provide a sex-change operation. Meanwhile, taxpayers have been paying for hormone treatments for this prisoner.

Maine has five bond issues on this fall’s ballot. They are there because the state didn’t have the money to do those projects in the regular budget. Private insurance plans face a 4 percent increase in January 2006 so we can find the money for the Dirigo insurance plan to continue.

I encourage people to vote yes on Question 1 to prevent this confusion and bankruptcy in Maine. Mainers have been known for their independence and self-sufficient ways. Why follow this confused, shallow logic?

Rosemary Ray, Naples