According to Statistics Canada, 77% of sexually/gender diverse youth in Canada experience bullying each year. Almost one-third of them had thoughts of suicide.

So, what is the government doing to support their trans youth? In Saskatchewan, the answer is absolutely nothing.

In October 2023, the Saskatchewan government introduced the “Parents’ Bill of Rights” (Bill 137) into legislature. Among other things, the bill makes it so that a student must gain parental consent to use their preferred name and pronouns at school, if they are 16 or younger. The bill targets trans youth by specifying that the bill only applies to “gender-related preferred name or gender identity.” There are no exceptions in the case of suspected abuse or lack of safety. Furthermore, the policy prohibits third-party organizations from educating youth on sexual health and gender identity. These two main selling points of the bill hardly have anything to do with “parental rights,” and are extraordinarily harmful to gender-diverse youth.

The fight for transgender rights in Saskatchewan has been going for decades; for example, until 2016, transgender adults had to undergo reassignment surgery before their birth certificate could be changed. It has been a long and gruelling process, and Bill 137 is a massive setback. Even worse, the bill came less than ten years after gender identity became a prohibited ground in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code (SHRC). The amendment of the Code in December 2014 made it illegal to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of their gender identity or expression. However, the Saskatchewan government has proved- in their own words- that the Code means nothing when considering trans kids.

Bill 137 goes against six different sections of both the SHRC (sections 4, 5, and 13) and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (sections 2, 7, 15). These include “freedom of conscience, opinion and belief” (Section 4), “the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof,” (Section 7), and most importantly, “the right to education in any school [...] without discrimination on the basis of a prohibited ground” (Section 13). The Sask. government got around the blatant disregard for human rights by invoking the notwithstanding clause, which allows them to override the Charter so long as they say which sections they are violating. No court can challenge the legislature on the grounds of a Charter violation for five years, and there is no limit to how many times the clause can be invoked. In other words, the government will control trans youth, and there’s little they can do about it. This is all the more frustrating when you figure out that the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission itself is also against the policy, stating that “the ‘pronoun’ provisions presented to the Legislature infringe upon the rights of Saskatchewan students.” It’s appalling to think that so many people are against the legislature, and yet it has remained in place for so long.

You may be asking yourself why I’m so concerned about this bill. The reason is because I, as well as many members of my community, are directly affected by it. I am a trans student in my senior year at Warman High School in Saskatchewan. When Bill 137 was passed, I had just barely turned 16 and still fell under the group of students affected by the bill. I was lucky enough to not have to worry about gaining parental consent. I had already come out to my family and received immense support. But that didn’t stop me from worrying about my other trans peers, my friends who were already unsafe in their own home. They struggled with parents who would not welcome them if they opened up about who they truly were. They feared rejection or even losing their home simply because of their preferred name, and now they wouldn’t even be free at school.

It’s not only the children who are outraged by the policy, though. Fran Forsberg is a foster parent and trans advocate in Saskatoon. When interviewed by the Star Phoenix, she brought up an interesting point: “I want the government to realize that self-harm goes down at least 85 per cent when children are supported. Are these children’s lives not worth anything to this government?” When we look at the facts, the unfortunate answer may be no. Even Justice Michael Megaw, the judge that allowed Bill 137 to pass, wrote in his ruling that "there is no indication … that the [Education] Ministry discussed this new policy with any potential interested parties such as teachers, parents or students." The actual people the policy concerns were never consulted, proving that their opinions- and in turn, their lives- do not matter to the government. 

So, what are others doing about this policy? What can be done?

The only way to properly ensure the safety of gender-diverse students in Saskatchewan schools is to amend Bill 137 and allow students of any age to use proper names and pronouns at school. For many, myself included, it’s not simply a matter of preference; it’s life and death. 

Thousands of trans students, adults and advocates have rallied across the province hoping to make change. Among them is Bu Wells-MacInnis, another trans student interviewed by the Star Phoenix. At a rally outside MLA Bronwyn Eyre’s office in August 2024, she said: “This is not just about a couple kids in the classroom who are identifying this way [...] It affects all of us. It affects the kids. It affects the parents. It affects the teachers, which I think is just crazily unfair. It affects everyone in our community.” What she says is true. While transgender children are a minority, it is important they grow up supported, especially in a conservative province such as Saskatchewan.

When we attempt to erase parts of our society instead of embracing them, we lose our history. We lose important viewpoints and eventually we begin to take steps back instead of forward. With Bill 137, we are already putting ourselves on a dangerous path. This is why we cannot be silent. Here’s what you can do to help:

Educate yourself: Do more research on Bill 137 and similar policies that have been passed across the country. Learn more about not only the trans community, but the entire LGBTQ2S+ community in your area. Talk to people in these communities and learn their stories in order to best support them. 

Spread the word: Tell your friends, family, and coworkers about the injustices caused by this bill. Use proper statistics and research to back up your opinion, and elevate the voices of trans people that can’t do it on their own.

Donate: There are many organizations, both local and nationwide, that fight for the rights of trans/LGBTQ2S+ people every day. These include:

Egale Canada - a nationwide charity that fights for the rights of not only trans people, but any member of the LGBTQ2S+ community. They often publish reports and hold workshops to educate others on transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia.

Trans Sask - A Saskatchewan based, trans founded non profit that specifically tackles trans issues in the province.

OUTSaskatoon - Saskatoon’s leading LGBTQ2S+ organization, focusing on community and acceptance while educating others on queer history and culture.

Advocate: Join rallies that oppose bills such as the Parents’ Bill of Rights. Write to the Saskatchewan government and Ministry of Education to voice your opinion, finally, sign this petition. Many voices need to be heard in order to make a difference.

Show that you care about the thousands of trans and non-binary children in Saskatchewan schools, including myself. Join me in making a difference.