Some parts of Canada have resisted the pull of anti-trans hate better than others. Here\u2019s what it\u2019s like to live in these places<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With anti-trans legislation taking shape across Canada, the question of which jurisdictions remain safe for trans people is on a lot of people\u2019s minds. Transfeminine jurist and activist Celeste Trianon<\/a> began producing the Canadian Anti-Trans Risk Map<\/a> in 2023 to provide some answers. The map colour-codes each Canadian province and territory, as well as the country as a whole, according to the level of risk each jurisdiction\u2019s government poses to its trans residents. Inspired by a similar project<\/a> in the U.S., produced by trans journalist and public commentator Erin Reed<\/a>, Trianon wanted to visualize the anti-trans political movement so she could answer the question<\/a>, \u201cI\u2019m planning on moving to Canada: where should I go?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legal literacy is important to Trianon, who is based in Montreal, Quebec. Much of the general population \u201chas no idea what is happening, especially with respect to legislation\u201d targeting trans rights, she says. But some parts of Canada are much worse for trans people than others, and people, both within the LGBTQ2S+ community and without, need to know the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trianon works from the assumption that every jurisdiction\u2014be it a province, territory or the country as a whole\u2014is at \u201cmedium risk\u201d of enacting a law or policy that harms trans people. Since she began monitoring anti-trans legal developments, Trianon has noticed the \u201cbiggest shift\u201d in Alberta and Saskatchewan, where anti-trans legislation has been passed, and Manitoba and New Brunswick, \u201cwhere things have gone down,\u201d she says. Alberta currently ranks<\/a> on her map as having the \u201cworst active anti-trans laws,\u201d thanks to recent provincial legislation restricting gender-affirming healthcare<\/a> for trans youth and making it more difficult<\/a> for all youth to change their names and pronouns at school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She deems Manitoba, New Brunswick and Yukon to be \u201clow risk\u201d jurisdictions. These are provinces and territories that have taken active steps to be more inclusive and protective of their trans residents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trevor Kirczenow, a 39-year-old trans man, has lived in Manitoba for the past 17 years. It\u2019s a \u201creasonably good place for us to live,\u201d he says. \u201cWe have a vibrant trans community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Manitoba\u2019s 2023 provincial election, the incumbent Progressive Conservatives campaigned on a platform<\/a> of \u201cparental rights.\u201d They lost badly<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVoters were certainly not swayed by right-wing conservative arguments against trans people in the last election,\u201d Kirczenow reflects, \u201cso that definitely means something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manitobans instead voted into power the progressive-leaning NDP, led provincially by Wab Kinew<\/a>. The party has a long history of standing up for sexual and gender minorities, and their membership in the Manitoba Legislature reflects that. Uzoma Asagwara<\/a>, currently the minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care, became Manitoba\u2019s first non-binary MLA when they were elected in 2019. Logan Oxenham<\/a>, elected in 2023 over a Progressive Conservative incumbent, became Manitoba\u2019s first trans MLA<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kirczenow thinks there\u2019s something about the political culture of Manitoba that makes it a more favourable place to live as a trans person. He recently organized a protest against a Jordan Peterson speaking engagement at Winnipeg\u2019s Canada Life Centre. It was 21 below zero\u201430 below with the wind chill\u2014and there was still a \u201cdecent\u201d turnout for the hour-long protest. Kirczenow says a lot of passersby showed their support by cheering on the protestors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPolitically, it\u2019s good to recognize where we\u2019re at right now in terms of election cycles,\u201d says Kirczenow, who ran in 2023 as a candidate for the Manitoba Liberal Party. The NDP has long been a very firm supporter of trans rights, Kirczenow says, and the party \u201cwon a very strong majority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Isabelle moved to Yukon from an Edmonton, Alberta, suburb in 2020. She\u2019s completed a majority of her medical transition, including the \u201csurgical end of stuff,\u201d via the healthcare system in Canada\u2019s westernmost territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yukon boasts Canada\u2019s \u201cmost comprehensive<\/a>\u201d gender-affirming healthcare policy<\/a>. Everything from upper and lower body surgeries, to body contouring and facial surgeries to voice training is eligible<\/a> for provincial healthcare funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there\u2019s more to Yukon\u2019s trans inclusivity than just progressive government health policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Isabelle moved to the territory, she went from being one person who \u201cstood out\u201d to being part of a community that was \u201cmuch more diverse in every way.\u201d There are \u201ca lot of weird people here,\u201d she says affectionately, and that means there\u2019s \u201cmuch more acceptance of deviation from the norm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The territory is also culturally similar to a small town, says Isabelle, who lives in Whitehorse. People know each other there; they run into their elected officials when out and about. What this means is \u201cthere\u2019s a lot more access to people in positions of power. If people get too vocal about their hate, we know who they are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not that hate is too much of a problem. The people \u201care largely friendly,\u201d Isabelle says. And, of course, \u201cit\u2019s beautiful here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy biggest fear as a trans person is that it is all going to go away,\u201d Isabelle says. <\/p>\n\n\n\nTrans-friendly Manitoba<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The province is currently a year and a half into that NDP majority government. That means there likely won\u2019t be another election until 2027, leaving trans Manitobans in a promising position at least until then.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTrans rights in Canada\u2019s North<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Between law and reality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n