Advocates mark Transgender Day of Visibility with demonstration at provincial legislature

Advocates for trans Albertans were at the legislature Monday calling on the UCP to reverse what they call harmful policies.

Trans advocates rallied in front of the Alberta legislature on Monday in protest of the province’s new laws which affect transgender and gender-diverse youth.

The group of about 20 marched from Jasper Avenue to the legislature, where the parents in the mix shared stories about their transgender or gender-diverse children, and the negative impacts of Alberta’s laws.

They also are demanding a meeting with Premier Danielle Smith and for the legislation to be reversed.

“We would love nothing more (than) to pretend like the last two years did not happen,” said Victoria Bucholtz, director of advocacy coalition TransAction Alberta. “There was no problem, except for the one that Danielle Smith is making and we want her to simply reverse her course and go back to trusting teachers, go back to trusting parents, go back to trusting medical professionals.”

The three pieces of legislation being criticized prohibit trans youth from receiving gender-affirming treatment, requires schools notify parents if their child under the age of 16 wants to change their name or pronoun for reasons related to their gender identity, and restricts participation in female sports leagues to players who were assigned female at birth.

“They are feeling stigmatized. They are feeling targeted. They don’t feel supported. And that is a terrible way for any child to grow up in this province,” Bucholtz said.

It also stains International Transgender Day of Visibility, which falls on Tuesday, Bucholtz added.

“It is sad that, once again, the days that are about trans people, about us celebrating our community, about us being proud and visible for who we are, are tinged with sadness and anger and hurt and mistrust and fear.”

Smith’s government has said the legislation is meant to prevent youth from making medical decisions they could later regret, increase transparency in schools, and protect girls in sport.