Non-Affiliated Sen. Kristopher Wells (Alberta) said the research into laws putting restrictions on transgender children is clear about their harms. In response, Wells said gender identity laws lead to the deaths of transgender children. “Governments should be helping not hurting vulnerable youth,” tweeted Wells. .Twenty-two American states have banned gender transitions in minors because of the evidence showing their harm. Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have imposed restrictions on them to mitigate this harm. Wells was commenting on a study conducted by the Trevor Project and published in Nature Human Behaviour in September finding American states that passed laws aimed at transgender minors saw suicide attempts by transgender and gender non-conforming teenagers increase by as much as 72% in the following years. The study examined survey data from young people in 19 states, comparing suicide rates before and after restrictions passed. In the last few years, many states have passed laws affecting how transgender young people do activities such as play sports, go to school washrooms, and access gender transitions. Wells had acknowledged Alberta Premier Danielle Smith survived her leadership review. “Now that you’ve ‘won’ your leadership review, you can drop your discriminatory bills and start acting like a leader for ALL Albertans,” he said. .Wells said on October 19 Smith should not be making her gender identity policies based on one person’s story. .New Alberta senator says Smith should follow evidence, experts with gender identity policies.He said he was glad Canadian writer Eva Kurilova found support and love. “Listen to the evidence and experts — that’s what should inform good policy, not ideology and pseudoscience,” he said. .The three bills the Alberta government vowed to introduce about gender identity came out on October 31. .UPDATED: Alberta government introduces three bills with gender identity policies .The Alberta government tabled a bill to restrict gender transitions in minors to what it says will preserve choices for them. Since the Alberta government wants to build a healthcare system responding to the changing needs of Albertans, it said the amendments introduced in the Health Statutes Amendment Act reflect this.
