On March 31, Transgender Visibility Day, pop duo Tegan and Sara released an open letter through their foundation opposing anti-trans legislation in Canada. To raise awareness surrounding the risks of such legislation, over 400 Canadian and Canada-based artists in the fields of music, film and literature signed the letter, including renowned figures such as Neil Young, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alanis Morissette, Elliot Page and Mae Martin.
The letter, entitled ‘Artists Against Anti-Trans Legislation in Canada‘, starts by stating: “2SLGBTQIA+ people are our friends, family, neighbours and coworkers. But far right groups are tapping into fear and pitting us against each other so they can create a Canada where we’re afraid of difference. Right now, they’re using trans people as their punching bag, but the truth is that this community is their convenient scapegoat.”
It continues: “For those outside of Canada, the country is often seen as a human rights haven. However, the reality is that Canada is not immune to the global attack on the trans community and their access to inclusive spaces, healthcare and freedoms.”
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The letter calls out recent bills passed, most notably in the Province of Alberta. In February, Premier Danielle Smith proposed a ban on gender-affirming care, such as hormone treatment, puberty blockers, and gender-confirmation surgery for children under 15 years, and a ban on top and bottom surgeries for under 17s. Also, since last year, schools in the provinces of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have required parents’ consent before using names and pronouns of gender-diverse children aged under 16.
Denouncing these proposed bans, the letter states: “The anti-trans policies taking root in Canada go beyond discrimination – they present a clear risk to the mental and physical well-being of trans individuals throughout the country.”
The letter released by the Tegan and Sara Foundation concludes: “We, the undersigned artists from Canada, stand against these alarming and destructive policies, and call on the general public to turn their attention to a growing problem in our country. The government should never put themselves between parents, their kids, and evidence-based healthcare and supports. We are trending towards more harmful anti-trans legislation in Canada, and we call on our communities and local and national policymakers to put a stop to this concerning surge in anti-trans policy.”
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Tegan and Sara have been voices of the LGBTQ+ community throughout their whole careers. Both queer women, they have been using their public status to fight for LGBTQ+ justice and gender equality, launching their foundation in 2017 to raise funds and work alongside other activist organisations to campaign for queer rights. On March 24, the duo saw their work recognised at the JUNO Awards, where they received Humanitarian Awards. Accepting the accolade, Sara said: “If the world was not so hostile to LGBTQ2+ people, we would see ourselves purely as musicians.”
The award was presented to them by trans actor Eliot Page, also an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, who similarly works for the sisters’ foundation. At the ceremony, both the singers and the actor called out the rise of anti-trans policies in Canada, specifically Alberta’s government targeting trans youth.
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