Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith released a video outlining the provincial government’s plan for a sweeping attack on the rights of 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in Alberta.
The suite of policy changes will severely limit 2SLGBTQQIA+ youths' access to gender affirming medical care, social support, and education.
“These egregious new rules will have a chilling effect on the protection of gender rights and sexual diversity in Alberta.”
Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General, Amnesty International Canada
In the education sphere, in cases where students are 15 or younger, Alberta’s teachers will be banned from using trans and non-binary students’ preferred pronouns and gender-affirming names without the consent of their parents or guardians. For students who are 16 and 17, parents or guardians will be notified when a name or pronoun change is formally requested. In addition, Alberta will require parent or guardian consent for students to participate in any formal classroom instruction involving gender identity, sexual orientation and sexual diversity. While all third-party resource materials related to gender identity, sexual orientation or sexuality in the K-12 school system will need to be pre-approved by the Ministry of Education.
The plan further includes a prohibition of gender affirming medical care for children and youth under age 17. Hormone therapy will now only be accessible with parental consent and the approval of healthcare professionals.
It is also deeply troubling that the government did not engage with existing evidence-based research or had meaningful consultations with 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities, advocates, community organizations and education and health care experts, prior to making these policy changes.