With Trans Rights Under Attack, Advocates Prep for the Election

Mark Carney had only been prime minister for four days when far-right outlet Juno News published a story about his adult child attending a U.K. clinic known for providing gender-affirming care as a teenager.

The article noted the Tavistock Centre was ordered to close in 2022 and suggested Carney had allowed his child to undergo risky medical treatment.

The personal lives of politicians’ spouses and children are generally off-limits in Canadian news reporting, but for Fae Johnstone, the coverage is one more example of how trans people have become a popular political punching bag.

“There’s this segment of the Conservative base that is foaming at the mouth around trans and queer issues,” said Johnstone, a trans rights activist from Ottawa. “They're excited to mistreat, to dehumanize and to try to turn Canadians against their transgender neighbours.”

As a Canadian federal election approaches, Johnstone and other advocates are planning a feisty grassroots campaign to push back against misinformation and hate.

“Drag the Vote is a campaign created by our team here at Queer Momentum, supporting grassroots organizers, activists, parents and families to speak up in response to anti-2SLGBTQ+ hate and to encourage Canadians to speak up with us for freedom, equality, and human rights,” Johnstone said.

The Tyee reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office for comment on the Juno New story but the PMO did not respond.

Trans and queer people have faced a sharp rise in intolerance and hate over the past few years. There have been violent threats against drag performances and large protests that featured homophobic and transphobic language. Old tropes like claiming that queer people are a threat to children have once again become common.

Meanwhile, some provincial governments have introduced policy changes limiting certain types of gender-affirming care or preventing students from using the pronoun or name of their choice without parental consent.

Queer rights have been under attack across the U.S., with some states banning drag performances, prohibiting trans people from using public washrooms that match their gender identities and limiting access to gender-affirming medical care.

Following Donald Trump’s inauguration, some trans people have lost access to their passports after Trump signed an executive order to remove the option to use the gender-neutral marker ‘X’ on passports.

His orders have also resulted in some trans women inmates being moved to male prisons, the elimination of federal funding for gender-affirming care and the removal of references to transgender people from federal government websites. Trump has also tried to ban trans people from serving in the military.

In Canada, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has indicated he’s listening to a voting base that wants to see rights and medical care for trans people rolled back.

When asked about Trump’s actions on trans rights, Poilievre said he was only “aware of two” genders. Poilievre has appeared in lengthy interviews on Juno News — an offshoot of a right-wing website called True North News — and has suggested right-wing media outlets like True North News should have more access and funding.

Poilievre’s comments raise red flags for Johnstone.

“My invitation to Pierre Poilievre would be keep my community out of your mouth, you know?” she said. “Do the work and see who wins this election, but don't use my community as a political wedge.”

Johnstone said she and other organizers have seen a huge demand from the parents of trans people who want to know how they can support their children and voice their support for trans rights in the coming election. Many live in rural areas or small towns, Johnstone said.

While 200 drag performers across the country will be a key party of the Drag the Vote campaign, performing at events and marshalling support through their social media channels, Johnstone said an old-fashioned door-knocking campaign will be a key part of the effort.

“I think a lot of us are worried about the doom and gloom of the era right now,” Johnstone said. “We're giving folks a way to speak up, to take action, to chat with their neighbours, and to advance policy priorities that will make life better for queer and trans people and their families.”