Actors Elliot Page and singers Alanis Morissette, Neil Young, Sarah McLachlan, Carly Rae Jepsen, Elvis Costello, and hundreds of others in the entertainment industry have signed an open letter against anti-grooming policies in Canada.
The open letter, titled, “Artists Against Anti-Trans Legislation in Canada,” states “the country is often seen as a human rights haven,” adding that “the reality is that Canada is not immune to the global attack on the trans community.”
The letter goes on to lament Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith proposing legislation that would ban children form undergoing “hormonal treatment, puberty blockers,” and sex-change medical procedures, which the letters refers to as “gender-confirmation surgery.”
“Months before, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan announced that they will require parental consent before schools can honor the chosen names and pronouns of gender-diverse children under 16,” the letter complains, before ironically stating, “the government should never put themselves between parents.”
Notably, the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan recently announced that parental consent will be needed by schools if children under the age of 16 demand to be addressed by different names and pronouns.
“Everyone deserves access to crucial healthcare services that affirm them,” the open letter states. “Anyone holding a historically-excluded identity knows what it’s like to be treated differently because of who they are.”
“The anti-trans policies taking root in Canada go beyond discrimination — they present a clear risk to the mental and physical well-being of trans individuals throughout the country,” the letter proclaims.
The letter concludes by claiming “We are trending towards more harmful anti-trans legislation in Canada, and we call on our communities and local and federal policymakers to put a stop to this concerning surge in anti-trans policy.”
The open letter was published by pop duo Tegan and Sara through their foundation, The Tegan and Sara Foundation, and was signed by “more than 400 artists living in or hailing from Canada,” the organization said.
Notably, the open letter was published on Sunday, March 31 — Easter — a day President Joe Biden declared “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and X/Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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