Last month, a 16-year-old transgender girl was stabbed to death in England by two 15-year-olds.
Her name is Brianna Ghey.
As information is still coming from the tragedy, one thing that continues to be mentioned is the bullying Ghey had to endure after transitioning.
Not two weeks ago, 23-year-old Eden Knight committed suicide after being forcibly detransitioned by her family in Saudi Arabia.
Eden had been living in the U.S. for some time before being contacted by workers hired by her family to bring her back home. Upon confirming her death, her family misgendered her and used her deadname.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
– A national ban on trans athletes participating in girls’ sports associated with their gender identity passed last Thursday by the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee.
– Advocates in Canada worry the anti-trans bills sweeping across the United States could spill over the border.
To put that worry into perspective, The U.S. Human Rights Campaign in 2023 alone, have been following over 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the United States, with 175 specifically targeting the rights of transgender people.
Ghey’s and Knight’s deaths ring to the same tune as those lost before them – lives taken too soon because people find it easier to choose violence and hatred, instead of simply minding their own damn business.
Trans youth across the United States have had to watch as their lives be restricted inch by inch, just to appease the Christian Nationalists in their respective country.
And yes, the term “Christian Nationalist” is intentionally being used here.
Once they are no longer with us, the “thoughts and prayers” start to pour in from some of the same people that condemn their existence while alive. Not long after, they begin to ponder the question of “how did this ever happen?”
To be clear – that answer is not hard to find.
That said, even after a person is dead, there are some who still hold on to the bigotry that drives them.
The word “youth” is used here to signify a point: the hatred towards the trans community starts when a child finally feels comfortable enough to express themselves in way that makes them happy, but angers those who have no bearing on the child’s life in any way.
Australia is seeing an uptick of Nazi support at anti-trans protests being put up by Kelly-Jay Keen.
The dangerous and disturbing rhetoric of “child mutilation” from the New York Post and “grooming” used repeatedly by Tucker Carlson, is all under the pre-text of “protecting children.”
As reported by Fair, a U.S.-based media watchdog group, the talking points used by extremists and anti-trans groups have nothing to do with “protecting children.”
In the past, those who were “offended” by anyone in the trans community plied their hatred from the safety of a computer but now protests and death threats have become the reality many in the community face on a day-to-day basis.
It’s sickening.
This isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ kind of problem that’s being faced – but at the same time, the solution is relatively simply – let people live their lives the way that they want, if you expect the same.
But when there are calls for the erasure of a group people because it doesn’t fit another group of people’s lifestyle, then the situation progresses to an extreme level – hence what we are now seeing.
The gender critical movement, as some call it, or the anti-trans groups that have been growing around the world are, at the core, damaging and hateful ideology that should have no place in modern society.
But here we are.
This thought process has been hyped by trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs) like J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter franchise, along with many Twitter personalities. However, some of those who espouse these beliefs online get the privilege of hiding their identity to save themselves from the consequences of their words.
But there are also those who choose not to hide their identity
Unfortunately, here in Canada we just went through an election that saw scores of “anti-woke” candidates running for positions on school boards. To be clear, this “anti-woke” rhetoric is just a disguise for people to continue their vitriolic attacks on trans youth in Canadian elementary and high schools.
Luckily, Canada has had a relatively good track record with being a good place for the trans community – relatively, as there are still cities that have anti-trans groups trying to organize events.
In August of 2022, a popular, but now controversial Canadian Twitch streamer, Keffals, who is trans, was doxed and swatted during one of her streams.
This isn’t to say that Canada is some beacon of hope, because as our last municipal elections proved to us, bigotry is still alive here – but we do have certain protections for the trans community and a prime minister who is willing to be vocal about his support.
Certainly though, Canada is ahead of our southern sister and our cross-ocean neighbour in terms of protecting trans rights and respecting their choice to live a life that suits them.
All of this to say that those looking at Canada as a potential safe haven understand this country is a good place but it must also be understood that hatred and bigotry still fester among the population.
If we are going to prove to the world Canada is in fact a safe place for the transgender community, then every Canadian across the country needs to find the strength to stand up to those who’s only goal is to oppress people for simply wanting to live in peace.
Trans women are women. Period.