Gendered locker room policy in Sask. schools would endanger trans children, say advocates, families

Some advocates and families in Saskatchewan say trans children are being used as political pawns in this year’s election campaign, and they are concerned about a campaign promise made this week by one party.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe said Thursday that if he is re-elected on Oct. 28, his party’s “first order of business” would be a policy restricting students from switching rooms based on their assigned sex at birth.

“He doesn’t care about kids. He doesn’t care about making the locker rooms safe because he uses it as a way to keep trans women in particular out of their proper bathrooms and locker rooms,” said Wilbur Braidek, a trans teen. in Saskatoon.

“It endangers children more than it helps children.”

Trans girls in particular would be at risk if they were forced to use men’s locker rooms, “because trans women are much more likely to be raped or assaulted,” Braidek said.

In making the announcement in Regina, Moe said, “There will be a directive from the minister of education that would say biological boys will not be in the locker room with biological girls.”

Terms such as “biological boys” and “biological girls” can be used to imply that transgender people are still their assigned gender at birth, despite their identity.

The party was just alerted that there were concerns about chamber-related issues “recently,” Moe said.

Braidek said that if the policy is implemented, trans children could feel forced to use gender-neutral locker rooms, which “could seriously endanger them by dating them.”

The 15-year-old Grade 10 student said he knows many trans kids at his school who use bathrooms and changing rooms interchangeably, and that it has never been a problem at his school.

“It’s just sad that my entire existence is being debated when all I’m trying to do is live my teenage years.”

Braidek’s mother, Jessica Fraser, said Moe’s comments are a “dog whistle” that seeks to pander to a voter base and distract others from real election issues.

“I just wish he would stop using trans kids to promote his brand,” she said.

Moe’s announcement came after the Western Standard news channel published a story Wednesday in which a parent said their daughter felt uncomfortable in a locker room with two other students who identified as female but were assigned male at birth, at a Balgonie , Sask. school.

Fraser said she wonders if that student “felt uncomfortable before or after she told her parents what was going on and her parents ranted about trans kids.”

Moe did not specify how many complaints the Saskatchewan Party had heard, but the party said it “received calls and correspondence with concerns about the complaint at [a south Saskatchewan elementary school].”

Policies like the proposed Change Room rule and last year’s Bill 137 — legislation introduced by the Saskatchewan Party government that would require parental consent for children under 16 who use different names or pronouns at school — “only fuel the anti- trans sentiment,” Fraser said.

Braidek has already been told at school that “it’s not a good idea to use the boys’ locker room,” Fraser said.

“These should always be safe places for everyone, but keeping trans kids out doesn’t make them safer.”

‘Going too far in the hunt for votes’

Rachel Loewen Walker, program chair of women and gender studies in the University of Saskatchewan’s political studies department, said Moe “goes too far in pursuing votes.”

“Doing politics in this way, while children and young people are targeted and will suffer from this political game, is despicable,” she said.

Lowen Walker said Moe is “heavily relying on confirmation bias” by using an isolated incident to propose public policy.

She said locker rooms often have shower areas, and if the policy is implemented it will undoubtedly impact bathroom use, which she said would be “a huge step backwards.”

“It’s slippery language that we know absolutely refers to bathrooms,” she said. “This will counteract all the work that has been done in schools to create gender-inclusive bathrooms.”

Sonny Cantalini, program coordinator at It Gets Better Canada, a Toronto-based 2SLGBTQ+ charity, said if the policy is introduced, it could discourage trans children from attending school.

“This is really regressive and harmful,” Cantalini said. “Not being able to use facilities that reflect their gender identity is something that can really impact young people in a number of ways, from their mental health to their feelings of safety and acceptance at school.”

They also said a locker room policy like Bill 137 would put teachers in a difficult position.

Cantalini also said Moe’s comments about “biological males” are part of transphobic conversations because they ignore intersex youth who may not fit into the biological categories of male or female.

“This is the first item on their agenda and really speaks to trying to create controversy to gain political support,” they said.

Charter violation: lawyer

Roger Lepage, an attorney at Miller Thomson, said he believes the change would violate students’ rights.

“This policy, in my opinion, violates students’ protective rights under the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code and also under Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” he said.

Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation, said children are being used for political gain and the policy would make teachers’ lives more difficult.

“Policy changes that do not support student identities also make it difficult for teachers to ensure students are in a safe learning environment,” she said.

Saskatoon residents react

CBC asked people in downtown Saskatoon what they thought about the idea of ​​a locker room policy.

“There has to be at least some safety for everyone involved, no matter what gender you are,” said Chris Ngo.

“The people who are born women may not be comfortable with that either. If we’re going to put other people in uncomfortable situations, I don’t think that’s fair.”

Rhonda Kincade agrees, but says it’s not the most important election issue.

“The simplest solution is the best. You’re a boy and you go to the boys’ locker room. That just seems like the right solution to me,” she said.

David Reeder said there is a safety issue and children should use changing rooms that match their sexual identity at birth.

“I’m probably old-fashioned, but I think a big part of it is that if we know what gender we are, that’s what we should use, it’s as simple as that,” he said.

But Brennan Gasmo said children should be able to use the facilities they feel most comfortable with.

“I don’t know that I would say in blatant black and white, ‘Hey, we should have a policy not to let people do this,’” he said.

School boards are participating

CBC also contacted Saskatchewan’s four major school divisions.

Regina Public Schools pointed to existing policy, which says students “have the right to use the washrooms and changing facilities consistent with their gender identity.”

Saskatoon Public Schools said in a statement that current policy states that all students have the right to safe restroom and locker room facilities.

It also said all of its schools provide a private, individual space to use the washroom or change clothes.

“Privacy cubicles or curtains have been installed – or are about to be installed – in shower rooms in secondary schools,” the statement said, while students in primary schools do not usually use changing rooms.

“For example, they wear their street clothes during gym class,” the division said.

Catholic Schools of Greater Saskatoon said they will work with students and families on a “case-by-case basis” to maintain the respect and dignity of all students, as they have not yet formalized that approach in policy.

The Regina Catholic School Division says its newer schools have full-door restrooms and changing areas that are typically labeled “A” and “B” and can be used by different groups regardless of gender.