While delegates to the United Conservative Party’s annual general meeting convened on Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators took to the steps of the Alberta legislature to rally against three bills tabled this week that, if passed, would impact transgender rights.
One of the bills, the Education Amendment Act, 2024, would require children under 16 to have parental consent to change their names or pronouns at school. Youth age 16 to 17 wouldn’t need consent, but parents would still be notified.
The second bill, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, would prohibit doctors from treating those under 16 seeking transgender treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapies.
The third bill, the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, would ban transgender women and girls from competing in female-only sports divisions and require organizations to report eligibility complaints.
Protestors say the bills are harmful and put the safety of youth at risk, especially if there isn’t support at home.
They say the policies rationalize fear and misinformation, and will fuel more hatred and violence towards the trans community.
“I’m an athlete. I was a student athlete. Having that right to just be who I want to be and be who I am is so important,” protestor Alexis Bernardo told Global News. “They’re trying to take away the rights and the potential of people just being who they are. ”
Protestor Andy Alvarez said the bills increases risks to the health and safety of trans youth.
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“I have seen how legislation like this impacts suicide rate with the youth. We saw it in the U.S,” Alvarez said.
Rally co-organizer and founder of Trans Rights YEG, Rowan Morris, says the tabling of bills doesn’t come as a shock as the provincial government began discussing the proposed policies in January. But the legislation still hurts.
“Many of us are feeling the actualization of it all,” Morris said. “It hurt us then and it hurts us now that, after voicing how concerned we were, it’s not meeting the needs of Albertans… Many people are starting to self-isolate, and this has been happening since January,”
Rally speaker Adebayo Chris Katiiti said he didn’t expect the proposed legislation to be drafted in a country like Canada.
“To be honest. it’s so harmful to have our entire existence, our bodies, violated,” he explained.
Katiiti, a trans man, moved to Canada in 2016 for safety after living in fear in his home country of Uganda.
“I was arrested. I was undressed to check if I was a man or a woman,” he said. “I was locked up with police for a couple of days.”
Katiiti questions why the government is creating policies that he says affect a small population when there are other social issues that affect the majority of Albertans.
“There’s so many issues in Alberta. Lack of housing. Homelessness. Job insecurity. Racism in our communities. Why are you attacking vulnerable communities?” he said.
In a statement, Government House Leader Joseph Schow said he supports Albertans’ right to protest peacefully and lawfully with otherwise defending the bills.
“While we always appreciate feedback from Albertans, I’m proud of the work this government is doing,” he said. “One of the greatest responsibilities we as parents, teachers and community leaders have, is to preserve for our children, the right to grow and develop into mature adults so they are better prepared to make the most impactful decisions affecting their lives.”
Schow also said the bills, if passed, “will preserve choice for minors, strengthen the ties between parents and their child’s education, and protect fairness and safety for biological women and girls in sport.”
He added that the UPC government recognizes “the profound impact and challenges that struggling with gender dysphoria can cause children and their families,” and that it seeks to ensure Albertans identifying as transgender are supported.
Rowan said he believes there is strength in numbers and that far more people who oppose the UPC bill than support them.
“When we have a strong demonstration of support for gender diverse people, it makes the difference for us,” he said.
–with files from Karen Bartko, Global News
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