Correction
A previous version of this story incorrectly implied the quote in the final paragraph was from Premier Danielle Smith, when it was in fact from Caitlin Clarke. Townandcountrytoday.com regrets the error.
BARRHEAD - Barrhead resident Caitlin Clarke is concerned about the United Conservative Party's (UCP) plan to remove or prevent Alberta doctors and health care professionals from providing several kinds of affirming care for trans and gender-diverse youth.
It is also one of the reasons Clarke, a member of Barrhead's OutProud group and one of the organizers of the community's Pride crosswalk efforts, is championing a petition by TransAction Alberta, a coalition of over 28,000 including 90 organizations and businesses.
Clarke learned about the petition through a 2SLGBTQ+ advocate in Westlock.
Its focus is to ensure that trans health care decisions remain between patients and their doctors, free from political interference.
The petition will be sent to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. They also asked people to write to their MLA and Premier Danielle Smith, voicing their opposition to the proposed changes. Copies of the petition and the letter template are available for download on the organization's website.
"I think many people were taken aback by comments made by the premier about the bill the government was starting to draft that interferes with health care," she said.
On Jan. 31, via a video posted on social media followed by a Feb. 1 press conference, Smith said that in the fall session starting in late October, her government planned to introduce policies, guidelines or legislation relating to transgender youth and children.
Measures included banning puberty and hormone blockers for those under 16 without permission from their parents or guardians (however, Smith stated that 16 and 17 age youths could start hormone therapy as long as they have permission from their parents, a physician and a psychologist to prove they are mature enough to undergo such treatments); top and bottom gender reassignment surgeries will be banned for minors aged 17 (it should be noted that bottom surgery is already limited to adults).
Under the UCP's proposed policies, Alberta parents must give permission before students aged 15 and under can use a name or pronoun at school other than what they were given at birth. Students who are 16 or 17 won't need permission, but schools will need to let their parents know first.
Teachers must also get any third-party instruction material on gender identity, sexual orientation, and human sexuality approved by the Education Ministry before using it in the classroom.
Parents will have to opt students into every lesson about sex education, sexual orientation or gender identity.
"Deciding whether or not to alter one's biological sex, making permanent and irreversible decisions regarding one's biological sex while still youth can severely limit that child's choices in the future," Smith said in the video. "Prematurely encouraging or enabling children to alter their very biology or natural growth, no matter how well-intentioned and sincere, poses a risk to that child's future that I, as [the Premier], am not comfortable with permitting in our province."
The new policy also forbids transgender women from competing in women's sports leagues. Smith said the government will work with leagues to set up co-ed or gender-neutral sports divisions.
"This is a bill that will end up being deadly for children in our province, and it will continue to allow transgender people to misgender as they age instead of pausing at puberty transition, giving more time for that individual," Clarke said. "It will also lead to more home-based violence and houselessness, and more suicides and suicidal ideation. That is why I think it is important for people to get out there, take action, protest and make their voices known."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
