A trans Albertan speaks out

There is no such thing
as a trans kid?
I was one.

My name is Stephanie. I've lived the cost of having no support. These are my words — and a call to understand what Alberta's anti-trans policies actually do to real people.

Read my story

My story

I knew before I was five.

Before anyone dismisses the idea of a trans child — I need you to know that I was one. I didn't have the words for it, but I knew. I wanted to be a girl. That knowledge was there before kindergarten, before anyone had ever said the word "transgender" to me.

"I grew up in a conservative Christian home and went to a private Christian school. There was no space for who I was."

So I toughed it out. I had no support, no safe adults to turn to, no access to care that might have helped. The world around me made it clear that what I felt had to stay hidden. And the cost of that silence was steep.

Because I had no support and no access to gender-affirming care, I went through male puberty. I now grow a beard I have to shave every day. I have a deep, masculine voice I can't change. These are not small things — they are permanent marks left by a system that failed me. Changes that could have been prevented, had anyone been there to help.

I share this not for sympathy, but because I want people to understand: the harm from withholding support is real, lasting, and written on the body. When Alberta's government restricts what care trans youth can access, they are not protecting children. They are guaranteeing that some children will carry that cost for the rest of their lives — just as I do.

The policies & their impact

What Alberta's policies actually do

The Alberta government has used the notwithstanding clause — a constitutional tool meant for extraordinary circumstances — to push through policies that directly harm trans Albertans. Here's what those policies mean in practice.

Medical access

Restricting care for trans youth

Puberty blockers are reversible. They pause development — nothing more. They are not sterilization, despite what the Premier has suggested. Restricting them doesn't protect kids. It forces them through puberty that causes permanent, distressing changes — exactly what happened to me.

Schools & privacy

Forcing schools to out trans kids

Requiring schools to inform parents when a child uses a different name or pronouns destroys one of the few safe spaces trans youth have. Not every home is safe. For some kids, being outed to their parents puts them at serious risk. School should be a place where a child can simply exist.

Sports & inclusion

Banning trans women from women's sports

This policy is framed as protecting women — but it harms them. Cisgender women who don't present in ways deemed "feminine enough" are also subjected to scrutiny and verification. Exclusionary policies police all women's bodies, not just trans women's.

What the notwithstanding clause means

Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms — the notwithstanding clause — allows a government to override certain Charter rights. It was designed as a last resort in extraordinary circumstances. Alberta is using it to override the rights of some of the most vulnerable people in the province: trans children and youth. That should concern every Albertan, regardless of their views on trans issues. Rights suspended for one group can be suspended for others.

Take action

You can help.

If this resonated with you, these organizations are doing important work supporting trans people in Alberta and across Canada. Learn, donate, volunteer, or simply share their work.

Skipping Stone Foundation

An Alberta-based organization providing support, education, and advocacy for gender-diverse people and their families.

skippingstone.ca →
Egale Canada

Canada's leading organization for 2SLGBTQI+ human rights — advancing equality through litigation, research, and public education.

egale.ca →
Centre for Sexuality — 2SLGBTQ+ Programs

A Calgary-based organization offering support programs, counselling, youth leadership retreats, and community resources for Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ people.

centreforsexuality.ca →
Calgary Outlink — Community Groups

Calgary's primary 2SLGBTQ+ peer support hub, offering free community groups, peer support, education, and advocacy — including groups specifically for trans and queer women.

calgaryoutlink.ca →
RainbowConnect — Calgary Organizations

A national directory of 2SLGBTQI+ friendly businesses and organizations across Canada. Use it to find welcoming, affirming spaces and services in Calgary and beyond.

rainbowconnect.ca →

You can also contact your MLA, speak up in your community, and share stories like this one. Visibility matters. Silence is not neutral.