Protesters Clash Over Gender-Affirming Care for Youth in Toronto

Demonstrators gathered at Queen’s Park in Toronto on March 23, 2024, for competing protests focused on Canada’s policies concerning gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The event highlighted a significant division in public opinion regarding medical treatment for minors, as activists expressed their views on both sides of the debate.

The first group, supporting restrictions on medical gender transitions for minors, congregated around 10:30 a.m. before marching through downtown Toronto. This demonstration, titled the “Let Kids Be” rally, called for an end to medical procedures for transgender youth. Speakers included representatives from Christian advocacy groups, notably Daniel Zekveld, a policy analyst with the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA). Zekveld stated, “We’re here today because we need to let kids be, to grow up and develop naturally without medical gender transitions.”

Zekveld urged the Ontario government to emulate Alberta’s recent legislative actions, which aim to limit medical procedures for transgender minors. In 2024, the Alberta legislature passed a bill banning hormone therapy and puberty blockers for those under 16, as well as sexual reassignment surgery for individuals under 18. Although a judge granted a temporary injunction halting the bill’s implementation this summer, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has considered invoking the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to reinstate the legislation.

According to the Government of Canada, hormone therapy and puberty blockers are medications that suppress the signs of puberty once it begins. Generally, minors require parental or guardian consent to access such medical treatments.

A recent poll by the market research firm Leger revealed that nearly half of Canadians (45 percent) believe gender reassignment surgeries for minors 17 and under should be prohibited. The survey also indicated that 30 percent would support such surgeries with parental consent, while 11 percent would back the procedure without any parental approval.

Among the speakers at the rally was Ann Gillies, a former Conservative nomination candidate and founder of “Restoring the Mosaic,” a group that advocates for national unity by educating policymakers on clinical research related to identity crises. Canadian powerlifter April Hutchinson, representing the group “Keep Female Sports Female,” also addressed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of maintaining clear distinctions in sports categories.

Counter-protesters assembled at Queen’s Park as well, rallying under the banner “Protect Trans Kids.” This opposing demonstration was organized by the Trans Rights Commission Toronto and included participation from sitting NDP MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam, who serves as the official opposition critic for the Attorney General and 2SLGBTQ+ issues. Wong-Tam stressed the need for support and affirmation for trans and non-binary youth, stating, “Young people, including trans and non-binary kids, need to be affirmed and supported when they are seeking services as well as care.”

Wong-Tam further articulated the importance of recognizing the rights of these individuals, pointing out that Canada has enshrined such rights. “Any type of effort or movement to erode the human rights that were won over the years should be countered,” she affirmed.

As both groups voiced their perspectives, the demonstrations at Queen’s Park reflected the ongoing national dialogue regarding gender-affirming care for minors, underscoring the complex and often contentious nature of this issue in Canadian society.