2SLGBTQ+ advocates sound alarm over federal Conservative proposals

The Conservative Party of Canada is set to debate a variety of resolutions at its policy convention in Quebec next month, but two of the proposals, which relate to gender identity, have 2SLGBTQ+ advocates sounding the alarm.

The proposed policies aim to prohibit gender-affirming care for anyone under 18 and to protect what they call “single-sex spaces” like washrooms. Transgender advocates are concerned, saying this would take away their rights, and that the anti-trans movement is based on fear-mongering and conspiracy theories.

Fae Johnstone, president of the Society of Queer Momentum, says debates like this are hurting the community.

“We’re seeing more hate messages on social media,” Johnstone said. “We’re seeing more demonization of our communities and is a genuine fear, and it’s a reasonable fear, that we’re going to regress in Canada.”

Helen Kennedy with Egale Canada also expressed concern over the resolutions.

“It’s just not a healthy conversation to be having,” Kennedy said. “We do feel that we’re being hunted, that trans people particularly are being targeted for no good reason other than to advance a political agenda.”

Kennedy says the anti-transgender movement that we’re seeing in the U.S. is coming north, and she blames political opportunism for the demonization of trans people.

“We are an easy target, and we’re being hunted right now by these politicians who are fear-mongering around gender,” Kennedy said.

Johnstone says a party that focuses so much on individual freedom shouldn’t be debating these issues.

“On one side, (they) say, ‘We want government as least involved in our lives as we can,'” Johnstone said. “And then the other side (they) say, “…except when it comes to that historically marginalized community… we have some weird feelings about it.’ It’s a contradiction.”

2SLGBTQ+ advocates want conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to scrap these proposals. The Tory leader is not bound by previous policies at the convention, and when asked about these resolutions, Poilievre says he hasn’t reviewed them yet, “but we’ll take a careful look at every proposal and decide whether or not it lines up with our platform.”