More than 400 Canadian artists sign letter denouncing ‘anti-trans’ policies

More than 400 Canadian artists from the worlds of music, movie and literature are denouncing what they describe as “alarming and destructive” anti-trans laws in an open letter launched Sunday by music superstars Tegan and Sara. 

The checklist of stars who signed the letter consists of actor Elliot Page, Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle, actress Elisha Cuthbert, people music legend Neil Young, current Grammy winner Allison Russell and the 2 surviving members of basic kids’s leisure act Sharon, Lois and Bram.

“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,” reads the letter.

The letter calls out Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s deliberate pronoun insurance policies for gender numerous kids in faculties, in addition to proposed restrictions for youth looking for gender-affirming care. It additionally highlights comparable school-based pronoun insurance policies in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan as examples of discriminatory laws focusing on transgender youth.

Last week on the Juno Awards, Tegan and Sara have been acknowledged with the humanitarian award, and on the pink carpet the sisters mentioned their concern concerning the authorities insurance policies that focus on trans youth.

“Right now we are seeing this wave of anti-trans legislation across Canada, across the United States,” Sara Quin stated March 24, moments forward of the awards ceremony.

“So we see our work as being proactive to make sure people understand that this is happening now and not later.”

Tegan Quin stated she’d “encourage all government and all the adults out there that are obsessing over these things to focus on things that are more pressing,” she stated, itemizing local weather change, the housing disaster and sharp rise in opioid-related deaths.

The artists who signed the letter, together with singer Anne Murray, director Deepa Mehta and writer Michael Crummey, say they’re towards these school-based pronoun insurance policies and proposed bans on hormone remedy, and are calling on all ranges of presidency to place a cease to such dangerous laws.

Other notable signatories embody Juno award-winning singer-songwriter Aysanabee, comic Colin Mochrie, and musical acts Feist, Tokyo Police Club, Metric and The Beaches. The Tragically Hip’s Paul Langlois, Schitt’s Creek actress Emily Hampshire and Rufus Wainwright additionally signed the open letter. 

The timing of the letter coincides with Transgender Day of Visibility, which is devoted to elevating consciousness of discrimination confronted by the trans neighborhood.

Tegan and Sara have been acknowledged by the Junos final week for his or her work with LGBTQ+ youth with an award offered to them by Halifax-born actor Elliot Page.

“We are at a time in history where the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ people are being revoked, restricted and eliminated throughout the world, and the effects of which are devastating,” Page stated earlier than presenting the duo with the award.