Canada has never had a debate about the premises of the transgender movement – they were simply implemented without our consent by every major institution. In many cases, they were implemented without our knowledge. In fact, I would argue that this was done without our knowledge and consent because progressive politicians realized that they would not get a popular mandate to do so – which is precisely what we’re seeing with the overwhelming public support for parental rights from Saskatchewan to New Brunswick.
Thus, the fact that two policies directly addressing the transgender agenda – one opposing sex changes for minors, the other emphasizing support for female-only spaces – at the Conservative Party convention this past weekend is genuinely significant. We don’t yet know if these resolutions will be championed by the party leadership. Pierre Poilievre is a committed social liberal who has consistently voted in favor of the transgender agenda, so I’m not holding my breath. But the wide margins of support for these resolutions at the convention may indicate a growing appetite for a public debate where previously none has existed.
As I noted earlier this week, one consequence of all of this has been that trans activists and their media allies are now saying the quiet part out loud. I’ve been tracking this coverage carefully, because many of these activists are being honest about their agenda in public for the first time. I may be proven wrong on this, but I suspect a September 10 editorial in the Toronto Star may be the single most egregious example.
The editorial was penned by Julie Malbogat, who says that she is the mother of an 11-year-old transgender child. Her child informed her of this at age 8, “nonchalantly at bedtime.” The editorial is accompanied by a photo of her child, who has “new pronouns, new clothes, new haircut, new name.” In case this sounds dramatic, she adds: “With few exceptions, it’s been as nothingburger as it sounds.” Yes, you read that correctly. She describes “socially transitioning” her child as a “nothingburger” – while making the case that it is a privilege rather than a right to know if this is being done to your child while at school.
According to Malbogat, the real issue is with folks who might disagree with what she is doing:
As an urban, liberal, agnostic Canadian, the hardest part of parenting a trans kid has been watching the anti-trans groundswell – particularly in the U.K and the U.S. As of this month, 22 U.S. states have enacted laws or policies banning gender affirming care for youth up to age 18 – despite evidence that this care does more good than harm.
I’ve cried often for those kids and their parents and I’ve cried for fear these baseless laws will make their way north of the border.
And now it begins.
In the Conservative provinces of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, parental consent is now required before a student under 16 can use their preferred pronouns or name at school. In my own province of Ontario, Education Minister Stephen Lecce has opened the door to similar policies here, saying, ‘Parents must be fully involved and fully aware of what’s happening in the life of their children… so that they can support their kids.’
Never mind the evidence of what sex change surgeries, cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers do it to kids. The real problem in Canada is not that minors are getting double mastectomies, castrations, and life-altering drugs. The real problem is parents who have concerns, and politicians who think parents have the right to be aware of this process being initiated with their children.
