Alberta introduces bills on transgender youth health care, student pronouns, opt-in sex education

The Alberta government introduced bills Thursday to ban minors from receiving certain types of gender-affirming care, require parents to be notified when a child wants to use a different name or pronoun in the classroom, and also require parents to sign up before their children are admitted. taught about sex in class.

Another bill aims to address the participation of transgender athletes in sports.

The law changes were first announced by Premier Danielle Smith in a province-wide video on Jan. 31.

Smith told a news conference Thursday ahead of the introduction of three bills that the measures are in the best interests of youth before making what she called “life-changing and potentially permanent decisions.”

“All three pieces of legislation were developed, drafted and tabled with the express purpose of striking the right balance for the health, safety and well-being of all children and youth in our province,” she said.

“We also defend the rights of parents to care for, teach and protect their children.”

Proposed changes set out in the Education Amendment Act, 2024, and the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, include:

• Students should not be able to learn about sex education, gender identity and sexual orientation at school unless their parents have chosen for them to receive that instruction.
• Third party instructional materials require approval from Alberta Education before they can be used in the classroom.
• Schools should notify parents and obtain permission if a child under 15 wishes to use a pronoun or name different from the name given at birth. Parental notification is required for older students aged 16 and 17.
• Minors under the age of 15 should not receive hormone therapy and puberty blockers. Patients who started treatment before the bill was promulgated would be exempt. Minors aged 16 and 17 could receive the medication with the consent of their parents, a doctor and a psychologist.
• Doctors would be banned from performing upper- and lower-sex surgeries on minors. Bottom surgery is already limited to patients over 18 years of age. All operations are currently performed in Quebec.

The Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, also introduced Thursday, would limit membership in female competitive sports teams to athletes who were female at birth.

LOOK | Schools should inform parents when children ask to change pronouns:

Alberta is introducing bills to change health care, limit gender-affirming care and sex education

The Alberta government has introduced a series of bills that would bring major changes to the health care system, limit who can receive certain gender-affirming treatments, and ensure parents opt out of sex education in schools.

The requirement would apply to secondary and post-secondary institutions and competitive amateur sports organizations. Leagues would be encouraged to create co-ed sports sections to give transgender athletes a place to compete.

The three bills were introduced days before Smith faced a mandatory leadership review at the United Conservative Party’s annual general meeting in Red Deer this weekend.

Some factions of the UCP have complained that Smith has not kept the promises she made during her successful 2023 campaign. Critics say these bills are designed to appeal to these members.

The measures have been criticized by many transgender people, their families and allies as opening young people up to more psychological trauma due to gender dysphoria.

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said in a scrum ahead of the bills’ introduction that Smith is governing for a faction of her party, not all Albertans.

The measures in the bills will either send students to their parents before they are ready or keep them in the closet, Nenshi added.

He said Smith “targets” vulnerable teenagers who are at high risk of suicide and self-harm.

“This callous, venal, evil act that they are putting forward today is just so she can get a few votes on Saturday night in Red Deer,” Nenshi said. ‘And you know what? Albertans deserve much better than that.”

Egale Canada, a national 2SLGBTQ+ group and the Skipping Stone Foundation, an Alberta group that supports trans and gender diverse youth, said Thursday afternoon they will take legal action against the Alberta government’s proposed legislation.