Dear Premier: listen to reason, save lives, and withdraw this legislation immediately
Special edition: Letter to Danielle Smith
My Scottish/Irish ancestors arrived on the east coast of so-called Canada in the late 1700’s or early 1800’s and were part of several waves of genocidal colonization of the Indigenous people who were already here. We arrived uninvited on the traditional unceded territory of the Wəlastəkewiyik (Maliseet) whose ancestors along with the Mi’Kmaq / Mi’kmaw and Passamaquoddy / Peskotomuhkati Tribes / Nations signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with the British Crown in the 1700s. I like to start every new post by explaining my family’s history and keeping this foremost in my mind (and my writing) at all times. I know I have benefited as a result of colonization, and I find the history deeply troubling. It is what motivates me to understand the true history and advocate for real reconciliation. As a child in the 1970’s, I moved west with my family and am grateful to be writing this newsletter now in Moh’kinsstis, and the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations. This territory is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. I recognize that the land I now work and live on was stolen from these Nations (truth) and I support giving the land back as an act of reconciliation. Lands inhabited by Indigenous peoples contain 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. Indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and knowledge systems are key to creating a sustainable future.
As I sat down at my desk this past weekend, I felt compelled to join the thousands of Albertans who’ve spoken up about the regressive transgender legislation introduced by the UCP.
This legislation can’t be allowed to stand. I’ve met so many young people who are hurting already as a result of Smith’s video, and it’s only going to get worse as the policy is implemented.
Sharing my letter here in case it inspires others to write their own. I reference a couple of news conferences where the premier made some pretty shocking statements. These can be found online at alberta.ca but I chose not to link to them here as I don’t want to amplify the misinformation.
Dear Premier,
First let me say that I do not hold out much - if any - hope of you actually listening to my thoughts on your recent legislation with respect to the rights and freedoms of Two-spirit, transgender youth and their parents. But I am writing this email to you because to remain silent is unconscionable.
Why do I say you won’t listen? It’s clear from your approach to consultations on your new discriminatory legislation that you do not want to hear from anyone who disagrees with you.
When questioned in a recent news conference, you said that only “constructive” participants were welcomed to the consultations, the meaning of which sounds very much like “only the people who agree with me.” What else is a person to think about being represented by the current government when the premier states so clearly her intention to exclude people?
One thing I know for sure is that the UCP government you have been tasked to lead, is only listening to a small group of Albertans and choosing to ignore the majority who find this legislation shocking and abhorrent. That is not leadership. It looks an awful lot like you are being led.
The entire premise of blocking a group of youth from expressing their gender identity freely is based on prejudice and discrimination. The assumption that there is anything wrong with being Two-spirit, non-binary or transgender is absolutely not true.
In the course of this crass power grab, you will have harmed SO MANY PEOPLE, including a whole generation of children and youth who’ve embraced a greater openness to their gender identity and want to pursue a future of possibilities. They should be honoured and appreciated.
Instead, you will have forced them into an arbitrary binary choice when they deserve to be given the extra time to delay puberty in order to get to know themselves better. Puberty blockers are an effective treatment, but only for a very limited time and now you’ve announced you want to take away that choice. A choice which is always made in consultation with doctors and parents.
Imagine for a moment that the limitations in this policy were applied to any other gender identity - boys being told they can’t act like boys or girls being told they can’t act like girls, until they’ve reached adulthood. The whole concept is absurd.
Then, there is the absolute disrespect you’ve shown to Indigenous communities who don’t share your rigid belief system and yet, you’ve imposed this policy on them too, without even a discussion.
Again, in a news conference, you refused to even entertain the idea that Indigenous people will be affected, insisting that it doesn’t apply to reserves. What an ignorant response you gave to the reporter. Of course, it affects Indigenous people and you refused to even acknowledge this.
When you base a government policy on bigotry towards any gender, you are violating their constitutional rights. And using the Notwithstanding Clause to get around it would be an admission of guilt. Make no mistake, this is the corner you are backing your government into with this legislation. It will be challenged in court and will be successful, because ultimately, these rules are indefensible.
No medical treatment is without risk but in this case there is little or no risk of long term harm (or threat to fertility, as you claim). What a Handmaid's Tale moment that was!
Despite what you’ve said publicly, doctors have got this one right. Your public statements show a level of disrespect of physicians, science, and traditional Indigenous knowledge that is gob-smacking.
I watched my sibling struggle with gender identity their whole life. I also was able to witness them emerge from a dark place to embrace transgender joyfulness. It is beautiful to witness. It’s unfortunate they were not able to do this sooner as it could have saved them many years of pain and loneliness, which is what you will impose on this generation with these bills.
Premier, you’ve chosen to follow a small gang of hateful activists who would restrict other people’s freedom and rights, while ballyhooing loudly about their own rights and freedoms. What an embarrassing level of hypocrisy.
Two-spirit, transgender and non-binary people are courageous. They’ve broken free of arbitrary designations, and dared to be themselves.
Two-spirit people are simply living their lives as countless Indigenous people have done for generations, and you want to impose your harmful settler prejudices on them. This is the opposite of reconciliation.
All deserve to be celebrated, not feared, and certainly not regulated out of existence by oppressive government policies.
Please, listen to reason, save lives, and withdraw this legislation immediately.
Sincerely,
Jody MacPherson, She/Her
Calgary, Alberta
cc: Joe Ceci, MLA, Calgary Buffalo
