Alberta premier Danielle Smith announced provincial policies around gender identity and transgender youth, and local groups on both sides of the conversation responded fiercely.
Airdrie Pride posted on Facebook that they refuse to stand by while trans and queer people in Canada face mistreatment, discrimination, and while their fundamental Charter rights as well as human rights are brought into question.
“We will continue to provide support, as well as amplify, empower trans and queer voices and experiences,” the post stated.
“It is clear Canada is not, nor has it ever been, immune to trans and queer discrimination. There is a growing number of anti-trans and anti-queer policies, actions and sentiments making their way across Canada, at a governance (provincial and federal) and a general public level.”
Airdrie Pride did not respond to Airdrie City View’s request for comment.
Founder of Grandparents on Guard (GoG) in Airdrie, Marilyn Smith, said the group is extremely happy to see the Premier taking a strong legislative stand for parental rights and the protection of children. GoG is a group fighting for parental rights and eliminating references to sexual orientation and gender ideology.
Rick Sweet, who is also a member of GoG, stated he was thrilled to see the government reinforce parental rights with this new legislation as well as protect children from puberty blockers, hormone treatments and "top and bottom" surgeries.
“[It’s] just really good to see that the kids are protected from those kinds of decisions when they are not mature enough to make those kinds of decisions,” Sweet said.
He was pleased with a strong stance that defines the teachers' responsibilities to keep parents informed, and looks forward to watching his granddaughters compete in sports exclusively for them without having to compete against biological males.
In response to concerns about vulnerable students' safety, he said, “There are laws already protecting that child.”
“It's an identity issue and 99.9 per cent of the kids grow out of that as they go through puberty as they find themselves,” Sweet said. “As a parent, you want to know what your child is going through.”
He added that teachers won’t resolve identity issues teens are facing in a classroom or by referring to them by their pronouns.
“The child needs psychological counselling and the parent better be part of that as well,” he said.
In a seven-minute YouTube video posted on Jan. 31, Smith detailed new provincial policies, including restricting access to gender reassignment surgeries for those 17-years-old and younger; eliminating access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy for those 15 years old and under; children 15-years-old and younger will need parental consent to have their preferred pronouns be used in schools; and more.
She said youth 16 or 17 won't need parental consent to have their pronouns changed in the school system under her government's proposed policy, although parents will still need to be notified.
“We know that nearly all parents, even those who may disagree with the decision of their children, will love and care for their children no matter what choices they make,” Smith said, referencing concerns raised in other provinces after similar policies were announced last year. “However, in the handful of rare situations, one or both of the parents reject or become abusive to a child who identifies as transgender, we have child protection laws that will be strictly enforced.”
The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) released a statement expressing their concern about how the new policies would impact the safety of vulnerable students.
“We want all students to know, and especially those students who identify or have family members that identify as gender or relationship diverse, that teachers support you and care for you,” stated ATA president, Jason Schilling.
Schilling said ATA appreciates and respects the partnership and complementary roles of parents and teachers in the lives of students, but has concern about how the policies will impact the culture and operation of schools.
“We are concerned about the chilling effect placed on classrooms and schools, impacting our ability to provide safe, caring and inclusive spaces for all students,” Schilling stated. “We are concerned about how students may feel forced to suppress their identities and to be afraid of reaching out to teachers as an avenue for support.”
He said transgender youth are five times more likely to think about suicide and nearly eight times more likely to attempt it than other children.
“Teachers must be broadly and meaningfully consulted on these policy positions and their consequences before they are enacted,” Schilling said.
The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD), which has four schools in Airdrie, stated they are awaiting further details on these new policies.
“CCSD staff members, with the support of parents/guardians, remain committed to creating a Catholic environment where all students are welcomed, loved and cared for,” stated Joanna French, CCSD’s senior communications specialist.
The Rocky View Schools district did not respond to a request for comment.
Another new policy affecting schools is the requirement for parental notification and “opt-in” when “gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality” will be taught in schools.
All third-party resource materials or presentations related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality in the K-12 school system will need to be pre-approved by the Ministry of Education starting in the fall.
Smith also mentioned working with sports organizations, “to ensure women and girls have the choice to compete in a women's only division in athletic competitions, and are not forced to compete against biologically stronger transgender female athletes.”
