These folks are advocating for "parents' rights" while literally taking away the rights of parents to make medical decisions for their trans children. It would be amusing if it weren't so horrifying.
I live in Alberta and provide gender care for trans and neurodivergent clients. I also have a trans daughter, who is amazing. Know that there is a whole raft of affirming professionals and parents and trans folks fighting these laws and anti-trans sentiment every day. We are heartbroken and exhausted but also invigorated and gritty in the face of all of this. I am Canadian and this is not what Alberta stands for (and no, my country will not just cut this beautiful province loose, thank goodness…this provincial government though…yes please).
It's hard right now... it really is. At 53 years old it is impossible for me to explain to a lawmaker that given the choice at age 13... when I really started getting the full effects of male puberty that I would have given ANYTHING to prevent that from happening. How the anger and frustration of what I went through, into becoming a (my words) "testosterone burnt" adult ruined my life and left me with issues that I'm still working on to this very day.
I can't ask someone who isn't transgender to understand what it's like to be transgender. They can't. I can explain it a thousand times in a hundred different ways each time and they still won't really get it.
I'd have a MUCH easier time getting a person who was blind from birth to understand primary colors.
What I can ask is this... respect kids as intelligent human beings. When I was 12, I read Rodger Penrose, Issac Asimov, Richard Feynman, Michio Kaku, Nietzsche, and unwittingly Marcus Aurelius somehow which is where I get my stoicism... and others... and of course Plato because everyone does. If you haven't and have ever heard the word Atlantis... 🤷🏻♀️ what are you waiting for?
I guess this is a long winded way of saying that laws like this are insulting. They insult the intellectual and emotional intelligence of human beings in general... and especially those of us who had to grow up fast and become emotional adults very early in particular.
Deep down I'm still that little girl crying on the inside who was forced to be hard on the outside.
Difference now is I have 🖕🏻adult powers. Not a kid anymore and I'm do'ing me.
Which makes me especially aware of how f'd up it is for Alberta to do shit like this.
And here I thought being close to the Canadian border was a good thing 😞
There is literally no stopping point with these people.
This news makes me worry that Canada is not as safe as everyone thinks, and perhaps the rest of it is susceptible to what happened in the US but just on a delayed timescale.
These mothers F will not stop. They are so bent on destroying the lives of people who present no danger or impose any way of life to anyone else. These ignorant politicians and groups I just do not understand what they think they will accomplish with these laws. They will not change any persons gene makeup, and who did not ask for them to be this way. They only want to be able to live their live in peace just like anyone else, and get the healthcare they need and deserve.
Danielle Smith is beyond contempt. The most cynical bastardization of the Charter in its history. Simply to try whatever she can to save her death spiral of a political career. She has no problem sacrificing a generation in her amoral search for a slight grasp of perceived power. Disgusted she is Canadian
Eugene V. Debbs once said, “I shall not rise from the ranks but with the ranks.” Our ranks are world wide and so is their playbook. Let’s raise the world, or something ☺️
These folks are advocating for "parents' rights" while literally taking away the rights of parents to make medical decisions for their trans children. It would be amusing if it weren't so horrifying.
I live in Alberta and provide gender care for trans and neurodivergent clients. I also have a trans daughter, who is amazing. Know that there is a whole raft of affirming professionals and parents and trans folks fighting these laws and anti-trans sentiment every day. We are heartbroken and exhausted but also invigorated and gritty in the face of all of this. I am Canadian and this is not what Alberta stands for (and no, my country will not just cut this beautiful province loose, thank goodness…this provincial government though…yes please).
Don't hate the place, don't be angry at the people. Change the government.
Also, as an American... I do appreciate irony in those words I just wrote.
I hope whatever rich old fucks are pushing this die alone, and have their graves forgotten such that they aren’t even pissed on.
It's hard right now... it really is. At 53 years old it is impossible for me to explain to a lawmaker that given the choice at age 13... when I really started getting the full effects of male puberty that I would have given ANYTHING to prevent that from happening. How the anger and frustration of what I went through, into becoming a (my words) "testosterone burnt" adult ruined my life and left me with issues that I'm still working on to this very day.
I can't ask someone who isn't transgender to understand what it's like to be transgender. They can't. I can explain it a thousand times in a hundred different ways each time and they still won't really get it.
I'd have a MUCH easier time getting a person who was blind from birth to understand primary colors.
What I can ask is this... respect kids as intelligent human beings. When I was 12, I read Rodger Penrose, Issac Asimov, Richard Feynman, Michio Kaku, Nietzsche, and unwittingly Marcus Aurelius somehow which is where I get my stoicism... and others... and of course Plato because everyone does. If you haven't and have ever heard the word Atlantis... 🤷🏻♀️ what are you waiting for?
I guess this is a long winded way of saying that laws like this are insulting. They insult the intellectual and emotional intelligence of human beings in general... and especially those of us who had to grow up fast and become emotional adults very early in particular.
Deep down I'm still that little girl crying on the inside who was forced to be hard on the outside.
Difference now is I have 🖕🏻adult powers. Not a kid anymore and I'm do'ing me.
Which makes me especially aware of how f'd up it is for Alberta to do shit like this.
And here I thought being close to the Canadian border was a good thing 😞
There is literally no stopping point with these people.
This news makes me worry that Canada is not as safe as everyone thinks, and perhaps the rest of it is susceptible to what happened in the US but just on a delayed timescale.
Alberta is basically North Texas.
Source: a former Albertan.
This article requires a "hate," not a "love" option.
These mothers F will not stop. They are so bent on destroying the lives of people who present no danger or impose any way of life to anyone else. These ignorant politicians and groups I just do not understand what they think they will accomplish with these laws. They will not change any persons gene makeup, and who did not ask for them to be this way. They only want to be able to live their live in peace just like anyone else, and get the healthcare they need and deserve.
Alberta is the Oklahoma of Canada. Why doesn't the rest of the country just cut them loose.
I’m sorry, did I read that correctly? “Right to Breathe”….
Danielle Smith is beyond contempt. The most cynical bastardization of the Charter in its history. Simply to try whatever she can to save her death spiral of a political career. She has no problem sacrificing a generation in her amoral search for a slight grasp of perceived power. Disgusted she is Canadian
Excellent article as always.
Eugene V. Debbs once said, “I shall not rise from the ranks but with the ranks.” Our ranks are world wide and so is their playbook. Let’s raise the world, or something ☺️
Canada is making a mistake. They are following the bed choices of the United States..