The Alberta government has introduced three bills that will impact how the transgender community is treated in this province.

This controversial law has sparked outrage among many in Alberta’s transgender community. However, some argue that politicians look out for the best interests of young people.

Kellie Lynn Pirie calls herself a de-transitioner.

Born biologically female, at age 37 she began transitioning from female to male in 2004. She began taking testosterone a year later. Shortly after, she underwent a hysterectomy and bilateral mastectomy. She legally changed her gender marker and changed her name to Kenneth Logan Anderson.

It’s a decision she now regrets. She became a woman again.

“I was given the indication that this would address the mental health issues that I had been experiencing, the social anxiety issues, the discomfort issues in my body,” Pirie said.

She was told that at the time she suffered from internalized transphobia because she had not grown up in a household that supported the transgender community.

“Several doctors, counselors and psychiatrists diagnosed me with severe gender dysphoria,” Pirie said.

Gender dysphoria is the psychological distress a person experiences when their gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth.

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Alberta unveils new legislation for trans and gender diverse youth

She says she underwent psychological evaluations before and during her gender transition, but she says many of her feelings were not fully explored.

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“I realized that the discomfort I began to feel after my mastectomy was actually the first indicator that I was entering what was called regret,” she said.

She feels like health professionals have misguided her. She said she was not informed about some of the health complications she would experience following her hysterectomy and the health risks of taking testosterone.

“The gynecologist who started me on testosterone treatment didn’t tell me that women on testosterone were at higher risk of type 2 diabetes if they were also obese. I was obese when I started my transition. I am still obese today. I will have type 2 diabetes for the rest of my life,” she said.

Pirie says she was contacted by the Alberta government for consultations around three bills introduced this week.

One of the invoices, THE Education Amendment Act, 2024would require children under 16 to have parental permission to change their name or pronouns at school. Young people aged 16 to 17 would not need consent, but parents would still be informed.

The second bill, THE Health Laws Amendment Act, 2024would prohibit doctors from treating people under 16 seeking transgender treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapies.

The third bill, THE Fairness and Safety in Sport Actwould prohibit transgender women and girls from competing in women’s-only sports divisions and require organizations to report eligibility complaints.

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Trans groups oppose new Alberta gender legislation

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“Under these policies, the child will have a consultation with his family, his doctor and a psychologist or psychiatrist. Premier Smith will promote a research environment in which research, as it develops, can be discussed,” Pirie explained.

Dr. Roy Eappen participated in the provincial consultations. He participated in a stakeholder event on Thursday, alongside eight other transgender people, health professionals and athletes. He said access to gender-affirming treatments, such as puberty blockers, could affect fertility. He believes that additional research is needed before allowing young people to access care.

“There are also questions about height, questions about bone density and other issues. There are long-term concerns about whether this actually affects brain development. And the studies that should have been carried out for this purpose were not carried out,” explained Dr Eappen.

On Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators took to the steps of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to come together against the three bills tabled this week.

Trans Rights YEG founder Rowan Morris said those who are not actively trans should not speak for the transgender community.

“They don’t identify themselves like that anymore. That these individuals represent our community, people who stay in the gender they change for the rest of their lives, is a false statement,” Morris said.

Pirie says that while transitioning wasn’t a good decision for her, she supports transgender people making decisions for themselves as long as they are adults and have received full support.

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