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Carly Rae Jepsen, Elliot Page,and Mae Martin are among over 400 celebrities that have signed a letter opposing to the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Canada.
Over 400 artists have signed a letter voicing opposition to the "alarming and destructive" anti-LGBTQ+ legislation on the rise in Canada.
The Tegan and Sara Foundation prepared the Artists Against Anti-Trans Legislation in Canada open letter, which was signed by celebrities such as Alanis Morissette, Anne Murray, Neil Young, Sarah McLachlan, Carly Rae Jepsen, Elvis Costello, Elliot Page, Allison Russell, and Mae Martin.
"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," it reads.
The letter cited recent cases in the country, including earlier this year when Alberta premier Danielle Smith proposed bans on hormonal treatment, puberty blockers, and gender-confirmation surgery. Months earlier, provinces New Brunswick and Saskatchewan announced that they will require parental consent before schools can use the names and pronouns of gender-diverse children under the age of 16.
"Everyone deserves access to crucial healthcare services that affirm them," the letter continues. "Anyone holding a historically-excluded identity knows what it’s like to be treated differently because of who they are. 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 artists continued to say that "the government should never put themselves between parents, their kids, and evidence-based healthcare and supports." The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the World Medical Association, and the World Health Organization all agree that gender-affirming care is evidence-based and medically necessary not just for adults but minors as well.
"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," they said. "Right now, they’re using trans people as their punching bag, but the truth is that this community is their convenient scapegoat. Their agenda is the same it’s always been: for people in power to retain that power at the expense of the most marginalized among us."
