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In recent years, it has become remarkably easy for Canadians to fall into the trap of looking down our noses at the politics, policies and attitudes of the States. When Trump signed an onslaught of executive orders restricting trans rights; when Tennessee banned public drag performances; when Missouri restricted the medical freedoms of trans adults; we shook our heads in disgust, thinking along the lines of, 鈥淐anada would never go so far.鈥�

This false sense of security is dangerous, as it gets us into the habit of neglecting our own shortcomings in favour of gaping at America鈥檚. Despite what our notions of superiority have tricked us into believing, the freedoms of trans Canadians are not as safe as we would like to believe.

When I was 13, I came out as transgender. Within a few months, most people around me were happily on board. At the beginning of my 10th Grade year, I slowly began my medical transition. I鈥檒l refrain from boring you with the details of how relieved I was, how much more like myself I felt, and how immeasurably more tolerable my everyday became, but keep that general feeling in mind as I go over the following.

Over the course of the past year, Alberta premier Danielle Smith worked to pass a bill that would prevent any trans person under the age of 18 from receiving gender-affirming medical or surgical care, even going so far as to threaten invoking the notwithstanding clause.

In October, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced to a crowd of cheering constituents that his 鈥渇irst order of business鈥� would be to prevent trans students from using the bathrooms and change rooms that align with their identities.

When questioned, Pierre Poilievre 鈥� the federal Conservative leader who stands a disturbing chance of becoming our next Prime Minister 鈥� stated obstinately that he is 鈥渙nly aware of two genders.鈥�

While we all remain laser-focused on another country鈥檚 failings, our own elected officials are turning their backs on the trans people of Canada 鈥� and hardly an eye has batted. Our growing negligence of our own politics offers a carte-blanche to politicians, who will continue to fan the flames of bigotry with harmful policy-making because they know we aren’t paying attention anyway.

The prejudiced actions of Canadian and provincial governments are rarely as news-making or entertaining as the things Trump and his cronies do, but I beg you to replace your apathy with anger, or hope, or whatever it is that drives you. If we wish to protect the liberties of trans Canadians, our attention, interest, and action are required.