“They’re Banking on People to Not Give a Shit About Our Kids:” Parenting Trans and Gender Diverse Youth in the Time of Parental Rights

In Alberta, Canada, the provincial government has passed legislation banning access to gender affirming healthcare for youth, limiting inclusive education, and excluding transgender girls and women from “female only sports”. The government has asserted that this suite of legislation is aimed at “protecting children” and securing “parental rights.” Our research explores findings from a longitudinal, qualitative study in Calgary, Alberta aimed at understanding the impacts of this new anti-trans+ legislation on transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth and their families. Anchored by “anti-gender studies” scholarship, this article presents three key findings about parental perceptions of Alberta’s anti-trans+ legislation and its impacts: i) the power of the “parental rights” movement, ii) the targeting of trans youth as a political tactic, and 3) the emergence of a negative socio-cultural environment feuled by anti-trans+ legislation.