Community members and advocates fear a rise in transphobia in Sask. after the elections

As the Saskatchewan Party remains in power after Monday’s election, some advocates, experts, families and transgender teens are worried about the future.

Prime Minister Scott Moe has made a campaign promise that if re-elected, his party’s “first priority” will be a policy restricting students from changing rooms based on their sex assigned at birth. Moe said it was a safety issue.

Shala Nufeld said she is scared and frustrated about what the future holds for her non-binary trans child Zipp. Zipp said the locker rooms and restrooms at their Saskatoon school are “already stressful” because they are not gender-neutral.

“We should just have neutral spaces for kids who are non-binary and trans, and this policy is just pushing the mark further and further away from spaces that can ultimately be inclusive of everyone,” Shala said.

“How do you do that without invading the children and checking their genitals?”

Zipp said the policy would impact children’s mental health and their attendance at school. The 12-year-old said enforcing the policy would be “disgusting.”

Their family moved from rural Saskatchewan to escape the transphobia Zipp faced when they entered second grade. They fear they will have to move again if the policy is implemented.

“Scott Moe just seems to be pushing trans kids to have even more mental health struggles. Like, he’s doing this on purpose,” Zipp said, noting that transphobia at the school has worsened. “It’s just a step backwards.”

Shala fears the next four years could make Saskatchewan even “more homophobic and transphobic.”

“Dangerous and Unsafe”: trans girl

The trans girl, who CBC is not identifying, said she has already heard from her “religious peers” that they are uncomfortable transitioning in her presence, even after she has transitioned.

“I was added to group chats where I was beaten, insulted and ridiculed simply for being transgender. This policy will create a huge gap between students and their safety,” she said.

A Grade 9 student in Saskatoon has already been “adversely impacted” this year by Act 137, or the Parent Bill of Rights, which requires parental consent before a child under 16 can use a different name or gender-related pronoun in school .

“With this (locker room) policy, I would have to change in the boys’ restroom. It is very dangerous and unsafe,” she said. “It’s hard to put into words when the government is actively working against you.”

“I’m scared”: parent

Chris said her ninth-grader Ray has faced bullying and transphobia since Bill 137 was passed. CBC is not using their real names because they fear coming out publicly will make them more hated.

“I’m angry that my child is being used as a political pawn in their game. I’m afraid that transphobia will only get worse,” said Chris, who is an educator herself.

“It’s very heartbreaking to see your child come home day after day and be told there’s something wrong with them.”

Ray, who is gender nonconforming, says many transgender children at their Saskatoon school are traumatized by being labeled dead or outed.

“The locker room rules will make our lives extremely uncomfortable,” they said.

Ray said the locker rooms at their previous school were unsafe because peers would “click pictures above the stalls.”

“When I was in 7th grade, I was called trans,” said the 14-year-old boy. “I was just walking home from school or walking down the hallway and people were barking or meowing at me.”

Ray said barking or meowing is a recent form of inhumane bullying of homosexual children.

“Political impotent”: Regina’s advisor

Andrew Stevens, Ward 3 city councilor in Regina, wrote Moe a “very harsh” letter shortly after the initial announcement.

“I basically said that you are intellectually and politically impotent because you cannot deal with these serious problems. He deserved it,” Stevens said.

Putting a political position on the shoulders of transgender children is “disgusting,” Stevens said.

Stevens said he received positive responses to his letter.

“The level of victimization of children who are now struggling with the realities of life is astounding,” he said.

Stevens said it’s unfair to frame the problem as an urban problem because it affects children in rural communities. He calls on Moe to pause his policies and focus on issues such as the complexity of school classrooms.

2SLGBTQ+ Groups Condemn Politics

2SLGBTQ+ groups are also voicing their dissent. In a Facebook post, Prince Albert Pride condemned the “anti-trans violence fueled” by the government.

OutSaskatoon also took to social media to condemn the potential policy. Analu Alvarez, education manager, said Moe’s “discriminatory” comments aimed at promoting his career were troubling.

The organization receives calls from students because they do not feel safe at school.

“Creating safe spaces is very important, especially in schools,” Alvarez said.

She said more trans youth have begun accessing the organization’s services over the past year.

“We’re seeing more young people trying to speak out, feeling heartbroken, being attacked and afraid of who they are and not being safe at school,” she said.

Alvarez said the “transphobic” policies discriminate against trans girls, who are already the most vulnerable.

“We know that it discriminates most against the most vulnerable people in society,” she said. “It will be dark.”

“I want to leave Sask”: mother of a transgender child

Amy, the parent of a transgender child, said she is considering leaving the province for good. CBC is not identifying her to avoid giving away her child.

“My first thought when the policy was announced was, ‘When will this end?’ How far will this go? – she said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Amy said her trans child came out before the pronoun law was passed.

“When House Bill 137 passed, we immediately changed everything legally so that all of his documentation, his medical record, his birth certificate, his passport, everything was compliant,” she said. “Mostly out of fear that conflicting documentation could cause harm.”

She said fear “and violent anger” was common among other parents.

“It’s hard to live in a province where you have to be secretive,” she said. “You don’t feel like you can encourage your kids to just be themselves. Your nerves are on edge all the time.”

“Wrong direction of focus”

Rachel Lowen Walker, associate professor and director of the women’s and gender studies program in the department of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, said the political promise was “a ploy to get votes.”

“This is just a complete and complete misdirection of attention that is creating an incredibly dangerous future for many children in our province,” she said.

Leven Walker said New Brunswick nominated similar policies regarding transgender children and this backfired when Prime Minister Blaine Higgs lost elections.

“Saskatchewan now stands on the sidelines, continuing to pursue anti-trans policies,” she said, saying Saskatchewan leads the “most transphobic province.”

“It’s very embarrassing to have a government that attacks children,” she said.

“This shows us that we have a government that does not respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and does not respect the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.”

Lowen Walker said locker rooms often have showers, and if the policy were implemented, it would undoubtedly impact bathroom use. She said the dispute goes beyond safety.

“Scott Moe describes this security as exclusion, segregation, separation.”