Alberta’s Bill 7 was introduced on November 19th by Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley. The bill seeks to amend the Alberta Human Rights Act by striking out the word ‘gender’ – which previously only distinguished between males and females – and replace it with the words ‘gender’, ‘gender identity’, and ‘gender expression’. Though a seemingly simple alteration, it has a large impact. It has already passed first reading in the Alberta Legislature, with very little public awareness or discussion. We need your help to alert our MLAs and the broader public to the danger of redefining sex in Albertan law. What’s the issue? Some individuals believe they were born into a biological sex that they do not feel fits their psychological sexual identity. This is known commonly as transsexualism, transgenderism, Gender Identity Disorder (GID), or gender dysphoria. Provincial governments have begun enshrining in law an idea that this psychological sexual identity – for which the term ‘gender’ is used – is not fixed but fluid. Tied into that is the idea that there are more than two genders, and that what ultimately matters is how one person feels about their own gender, rather than giving any consideration to what their biological sex is. Those pushing this political agenda are attempting to enshrine in law the right to identify as, act, and dress as any sex they feel best relates to their psychological sexual self-identity – and to be treated by the civil government and the rest of society accordingly.
