Listen: Trans scholar and activist explains why trans…

Listen: Trans scholar and activist explains why trans rights are under attack

This year we’ve seen an aggressive push to implement anti-trans legislation across the United States. There are currently more than 400 active anti-trans bills across the country.

Some of the legislation denies gender-affirming care to youth – and criminalizes those health-care providers that attempt to do so. Other bills block trans students from participating in sports and still others have banned books with trans content.

These bills have at least two things in common. They all aim to make being trans harder in an already hostile society and they are being spearheaded by the far-right.

Where does anti-trans sentiment come from?

Black Lives Matter activists organize a sit-in at Yonge Street and College Street during the Trans Pride March, in Toronto, 2016. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Eduardo Lima)

The enforcement of a gender binary likely has much to do with the preservation of white power. And, violence against trans people continues as a result.

Is Canada better?

What do things look like in Canada? Are we a safe haven or are we following some of the same trends?

Recently, a petition signed by over 160,000 people asked the Canadian government to extend asylum to trans and gender non-conforming people from nations in the West, previously considered safe.

To get a better understanding of trans histories in Canada, we are joined by Syrus Marcus Ware, an artist, activist and assistant professor at the School of the Arts at McMaster University. He is a co-curator of Blockorama/Blackness Yes! and a co-editor of Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada.

We discuss the history of anti-trans and queer actions in Canada. We also speak about backlash and ways to move forward.

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