Alberta on the Right Path With New Gender Reassignment Restrictions for Children

Commentary Jan. 31 was a significant day for parents, children, and women in Alberta. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith introduced thoughtful and promising policies to bridge partially the legal, medical, and moral divide that grips western societies on gender identity and gender transformations. Smith’s solutions will reduce the short- and long-term harms to children and women athletes, while upholding the rights of adults to make their own choices. Smith’s risky decision also fulfills her promise to uphold parental rights. Gender-reassignment treatments will not be permitted on children under age 18 in the province, and no hormonal treatments such as blockers toward gender reassignment will be permitted for children younger than 16. Children between 16 and 17 may be allowed to commence such treatments with parental, psychological, and medical consent....