Smith revealed the announcement through social media on Wednesday, as reported by Sean Kilpatrick from the Canadian Press.
In a recent announcement, Premier Danielle Smith declared that Alberta will prohibit hormonal treatment, puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgery for children aged 15 and under. The policy extends to prohibiting top and bottom surgeries for all children under 17, except hormone therapy for teens aged 16 and 17, subject to parental, physician, and psychologist consent.
Additionally, parents must grant permission for students aged 15 and under to use names or pronouns at school other than those assigned at birth. For students aged 16 or 17, while permission is not required, schools must inform parents of any changes. Transgender surgeries, currently performed in Quebec, will be attracted to Alberta to centralize medical procedures within the province.
Further regulations stipulate that teachers must obtain approval from the Education Ministry for third-party instructional material on gender identity, sexual orientation, and human sexuality. Parents will now need to opt students into each sex education, sexual orientation, or gender identity lesson, a departure from the existing one-time notification system with an opt-out option.
The new policy also restricts transgender women from participating in women's sports leagues. Premier Smith expressed intentions to collaborate with leagues to establish co-ed or gender-neutral divisions.
While the specific implementation details and effective dates of these changes remain unclear, Smith emphasized her concerns about irreversible decisions affecting a child's biology and growth, citing potential risks to their future choices.
Transgender advocacy groups have strongly opposed these measures, with organizations such as the Skipping Stone Foundation and Egale Canada condemning the policy as an unprecedented attack on 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians. They assert that the measures violate constitutional rights and plan to challenge the policy in court.
Conversely, some groups, like Parents for Choice in Education, find the policy reasonable and middle ground to ease tensions between schools and parents. However, concerns have been raised about potential protests and legal challenges.
Amid the controversy, Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers' Association, emphasized the need for broad consultation with teachers. He expressed concerns about the potential impact on the safety and inclusivity of classrooms, particularly for vulnerable transgender youth who may face increased risks of suicidal thoughts and attempts.
