Edmonton students stage walkout to protest new Alberta transgender policies

Edmonton students and others across the province staged a walkout Wednesday to protest the Alberta government’s planned policies impacting trans youth.

Students at Eastglen High School in northeast Edmonton say young trans students will be harmed by new provincial policies on gender identity.

Last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith proposed policy changes such as a ban on gender reassignment surgery for those 17 and under; and no puberty blockers or hormone therapies for the purposes of such surgery for anyone 15 and under.

Parental consent would be required for students 15 and under who want to change their names or pronouns at school. Students aged 16 and 17 would not need consent, but their parents would have to be notified.

“It shouldn’t be the government’s or the school’s choice of when a child is ready to come out,” said Grade 11 student Asher McPhee, who organized the protest at Eastglen.

“I know people personally that if they were outed, they would be abused, kicked out.”

Smith said the province would also clamp down on transgender female athletes competing in women’s and girls’ sports.

Alberta’s premier said the changes are to protect children from the consequences of choices they may later regret and to preserve the role of parents in their lives.

McPhee wonders why the provincial policies are needed.

“The entire point of it was so that children wouldn’t make ‘permanent decisions,'” McPhee said. “But banning puberty blockers, which is something that is temporary, forcing kids to not be outwardly trans at school unless their parents allow it, changing your name and pronouns, is not a permanent thing.

“And banning bottom surgery – that’s already illegal, you can’t get that when you’re under 18.”

Grade 12 student Brody Boudreaux, who identifies as non-binary, says he worries about how any changes to provincial policy will impact health-care access for gender-diverse people.

“Health care is really important and queer people are always denied it because they don’t conform to the norms,” Boudreaux said.

Walkouts at Calgary schools

The walkout at Eastglen High School was one of many planned around the province Wednesday.

At Calgary’s Western Canada High School, around 40 students gathered outside with posters and flags to show their support.

Student Yomade Akapo came out to support the cause, and says she doesn’t think Premier Danielle Smith understands the effect her new policies will have on transgender youth and their mental health.

“The fact that she’s taking away rights from people who haven’t done anything wrong, it’s just a violation of human rights — it’s absolutely disgusting that that’s something she could do to thousands of trans kids out there,” she said.

Charlie Andersen also participated in the walkout, explaining that she was doing it for her friends.

“I just think it’s really important that kids have a safe space to go because I know that I have a few friends that school is their safe place and it’s always been their safe place and just to take that away, I think that’s really unfair,” she said.

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) said in a statement to CityNews that students were allowed to leave class, but would be marked as an unexcused absence.

The Calgary Catholic School Division (CCSD) did not respond to requests for comment.

Alberta’s policy change has been faced with both backlash and support.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Smith’s plans, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Ottawa needs to back down.

“I think we have to trust parents — no one cares for their kids more than parents and that’s why Justin Trudeau should butt out, he should let parents raise kids and let provinces run schools and hospitals,” he said.

The premier plans on making her plans a reality in the fall.

-With files from Logan Stein, CityNews Calgary, and The Canadian Press