'Doctors aren't always right': Alberta goes ahead with controversial transgender policies in 3 new bills
CTV
The Alberta government has tabled three bills that will change, among other things, how transgender youth and athletes are treated in the province.
The Alberta government has tabled three bills that will change, among other things, how transgender youth and athletes are treated in the province.
Premier Danielle Smith first introduced various policies aimed at transgender youth in January, saying they are designed to "protect the rights of kids" to make medical decisions as adults.
While the policies have seen support from some Albertans, they also sparked backlash from academics, doctors, legal experts and LGBTQ2S+ advocates.
On Thursday, Smith introduced the details on those policies and defended them.
The Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, makes changes to the Health Professions Act, including:
Health-care professionals have previously pointed out that sex-reassignment surgery is not being performed on minors in Alberta, with the exception of top surgery in rare cases.
Experts have also said that puberty-blockers are safe, reversible and give kids more time to explore gender identity without more invasive measures.
