Gender-Affirming Statement

We, the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Alberta, are a faculty, staff, and student body that is trans-affirming and committed to feminist, inclusive, intersectional, and decolonial learning, that centers Indigenous ways of knowing and is committed to truth and reconciliation. We conduct social justice inspired teaching and research. Alongside allies and extended kin across the University, the province of Alberta, and beyond, we stand against legislation that limits trans individuals’ and communities’ access to health care, education, play and sport that denies them recognition of their personhood.

The Department is committed to the continued support of our current and future students and staff members impacted by ongoing anti-trans, anti-queer, and anti-feminist political violence. If you are a WGS student (or prospective student) with concerns about how forthcoming policies may impact your experience in our programs, if you are looking for local resources, or if you are seeking additional guidance for navigating your own work as a scholar or activist, please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of our faculty. We will do our best to be transparent in connecting you with resources and assisting where and how we can.

For more information and research regarding anti-trans legislative movements, we wish to highlight projects and resources at the University of Alberta and the work of our colleagues as well as researchers, community organizers, medical professionals, journalists, and other experts across Alberta.

Local Resources:

The Landing is a valuable support service for 2SLGBTQ+ students on campus, and offers peer support and community for gender diverse and queer U of A students.

The U of A is also home to the Fyrefly Institute for Gender and Sexual Diversity. This is a research institution housed in the Faculty of Education that offers a wide range of programming and support to 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Fyrefly has produced an analysis of how new policies will affect trans youth and all trans Albertans. Get involved with Fyrefly here.

Likewise, it’s important to be aware of recent changes to the U of A’s policies regarding names on campus. The U of A has recently introduced policies allowing students to change their Primary Affirmed Name without governmental documentation.

Finally, it is crucial to note that there are several on-the-ground organizations and nonprofits working to protect gender diverse Albertans. Trans Action Alberta has collected resources and extensive documentation of ongoing policy changes. Likewise, the Trans Equality Society of Alberta, which has issued a statement in response to forthcoming law changes, hosts multiple resources for Alberta residents impacted by these changes.

Pink Tank AB is a grassroots community initiative advocating for queer and trans rights in the province of Alberta. Individuals interested in volunteering and organizing can sign up to support the movement here.

https://2spiritsinmotion.com/ is a National organization for and by 2 Spirit Peoples across Turtle Island who aim to express ourselves through cultural ways of knowing and being around gender and sexuality; and to succeed and be empowered in all areas that are grounded in the medicines that 2 Spirit people carry from coast to coast to coast. 

Further Information on Anti-Trans Legislative Movements: 

Alberta Medical Association Section of Pediatrics Statement on Gender-Affirming Treatments:

https://www.albertadoctors.org/media/zmah2dx1/statement-from-ama-section-of-pediatrics.pdf?id=3865

PB Berge, a faculty member in WGS, has made a statement in a recent article published in The Globe and Mail, which can be read by U of A students for free through the University's Pressreader or Canadian Newstream.

Those interested in the extensive work done by academics across disciplines in the area of trans-inclusive sports and play may consult this recent community report regarding anti-trans disinformation related to sports by the Re-Creation Collective, or the special issue on sports in Transgender Studies Quarterly, published in 2023. 

For an analysis of the constitutionality of anti-trans legislation, see this article by University of Alberta Law professor Florence Ashley, “Parental Rights over Transgender Youth: Furthering a Pressing and Substantial Objective?,” Alberta Law Review (2024) 62:1, 87-119.