Families of trans kids, activists say they're angered, scared, disgusted by Sask.'s pronoun law

"Disgusting" and "disappointing" are the words parents of transgender kids, trans youth and community activists used repeatedly to describe the Saskatchewan government's Bill 137, which became law on Friday.

"I moved to Canada in 2007 from the U.K., and this isn't what I thought I was moving to. This is really awful and scary. I thought we were in a progressive, safe community and province," said Roberta Cain, the mother of a 15-year-old trans child.

"The anti-trans movement seems to be kicking off. It's frightening."

On Friday, the Saskatchewan Party government passed its Parents' Bill of Rights, which requires consent from a parent or guardian "when a student requests that their preferred name, gender identity, and/or gender expression be used" at school.

Premier Scott Moe, speaking to reporters Friday afternoon, said the bill was about "providing parents the right — not the opportunity — to support their children in the formative years of their life."

But Cain said the law tramples on trans kids' human rights and would affect students like her son, Silas Cain, who came out as transgender to his teacher.

He says in 2018, when he was in Grade 6, he said he started going by a different name and is thankful to his teacher, who allowed him space to explore his gender identity without outing him to his parents — a safety many kids have now lost, he said.

"There really is so much at stake for the trans community as a whole… being forced to come out can be so traumatizing and life-threatening. Having a safe place to experiment is such an important thing," said Silas.

"I am so hated for just existing and being who I am. So many younger kids who are finding out who they are and want to have a safe space are at such a risk because some people just don't like us."

His path could have looked very different if his teacher hadn't provided that space for him, said Silas.

"This law is absolutely ridiculous and violating. How many more trans kids have to die before they realize that this isn't OK?"

The new legislation "makes me very uncomfortable and concerned for Silas's future here," said Cain.

"It's a disaster that I hope galvanizes people into looking more deeply at what's really going on."

Jessica Fraser and her son, Wilbur Braidek, 14, who is transgender, were among hundreds of people who rallied in Saskatoon against the province's pronoun policy in August, when it was introduced.