My speech at the Trans Lives Under Attack rally

Hey, fellow workers.

My name is Kim Siever. My pronouns are he/they. I am honoured to have been asked to speak to you today. I am the president of OUTreach Southern Alberta Society, a local charity focused on advocacy, education, and support for and on behalf of the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community. I should note that I’m not officially representing OUTreach today. I also live in the Rainbow House with my spouse and 4 of our 6 children. Speaking of which, 3 of our children are trans, and 2 of our children have married people who are trans. So, while I’m not trans myself—although I am queer—you could say that I’m trans adjacent.

Our oldest trans child came out to us as an adult. The two younger trans kids came out to us as preteens. Because the younger two were still under our care, we tried out best as parents who aren’t trans to support them in their journey, including pursuing gender-affirming health care.

We’ve been fortunate to have found healthcare providers who have either referred us to others who have provided that gender-affirming healthcare or provided it themselves.

As someone who has participated, as a parent, in the process of pursuing gender-affirming health care, I have a couple of things to say about the UCP’s upcoming anti-trans legislation.

One thing Danielle Smith has promised is to ban gender-affirming surgeries for minors who are trans. Except, trans minors already can’t access gender-affirming surgeries. Even trans adults have to wait months—if not years—to get gender affirming surgery, so it makes no sense that youth will be getting such surgeries. 

Cisgender minors will still be able to get such gender-affirming surgeries as breast reduction; this policy specifically targets trans youth. Plus, I don’t see them banning bottom surgeries on intersex babies.

They don’t want to protect children; they want to protect the sex and gender binaries.

The government also plans to ban hormone blockers for minors under the age of 16 and require parental permission for those who are 16 or 17 years old unless they are already undergoing treatment.

Healthcare providers already require parental permission, so that’s moot as far as 16 and 17-year-olds go. As far as those younger than 16, the problem with banning hormone therapy outright is that it defeats the purpose of the treatment.

Most youth are through the majority of their puberty by the time they’re 16, so having to wait until 16 means that blockers will be virtually pointless by then. Their entire purpose is to prevent puberty, or rather to delay it. 

Not all trans youth want to experience that puberty, and for many of them, it can trigger gender dysphoria. That’s why they seek hormone treatment in the first place.

By not allowing them access to his healthcare, the UCP government will increase gender dysphoria among trans youth, which will, in turn, lead to worse mental health outcomes overall.

Cisgender youth, however,  who experience precocious puberty will still have access to hormone blockers; this policy specifically targets trans youth.

A lot of people supporting the UCP’s transphobic policies like to talk about parental rights. But where are my parental rights in this discussion? Why is this government listening to only a certain kind of parent? Why are they taking away the rights of the parents of trans kids? Parental rights belong to all parents, not just those who adhere to a certain ideology. We must stand up in support of our trans kids, in support of all trans kids, in support of all trans people. They must hear us. They must understand that trans lives matter.

Solidarity.