A trio of bills affecting transgender people in Alberta have passed the final stage of debate in the legislature and are set to become law.
2SLGBTQ+ advocacy groups have already promised to challenge the legislation in court, calling it discriminatory.
The sweeping legislative changes included in the Education Amendment Act, 2024, the Health Statutes Amendment Act and the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act were first announced by Premier Danielle Smith in a provincewide video address on Jan. 31.
The changes include requiring children under 16 to have parental consent if they want to change their names or pronouns at school. Students who are 16 or 17 won’t need permission but schools will need to let their parents know first.
Students would not be able to learn about sex education, gender identity, and sexual orientation in school unless their parents have opted-in to them receiving that instruction. Any third-party instructional material would need approval from Alberta Education before it is used in the classroom.
If passed, the legislation would also prohibit doctors from treating those under 16 seeking transgender treatments, such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
Physicians would be prohibited from performing top and bottom gender surgeries on minors. Bottom surgery is already restricted to patients over the age of 18. All surgeries are currently performed in Quebec.
The Alberta government has tabled a series of bills that would bring big changes to the health-care system, as well as limit who can get some gender-affirming treatments, and make parents opt in for sex education in schools.
A third bill, the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, would limit membership on female competitive sports teams to athletes who were female at birth.
The bill will ban transgender athletes from competing in female amateur sports and require school and organizations to report eligibility complaints. Smith has said the government will work with leagues to set up coed or gender-neutral divisions for sports.
Smith says the bills are necessary to protect children and female athletes, but the Opposition NDP says they will put already vulnerable people at further risk.