A new Leger poll shows that more Albertans believe Premier Smith’s transgender-related policy announcements will benefit children “in the long term” than they will be harmful.
The February 9 – 12 poll of 1,002 Albertan adults showed that 46% of Albertans believe Smith’s policies “provide a clear set of rules for transgender youth and parents and will benefit children in the long run.”
Comparatively, 32% of respondents believe the policies “are an attack on transgender youth and represent a danger to these individuals.” The remaining 22% indicated uncertainty over the controversial issue.
In what was a widely anticipated announcement, Smith said that children do not have the capacity to make life-altering healthcare decisions. The UCP’s new policy will ban minors aged 17 and under from being eligible for top and bottom transgender surgeries (breast or penis removal). Moreover, puberty blockers / hormone therapy will not be permitted for youth 15 and under (other than those who have already started).
Smith’s policy update also plans to restrict trans women from women’s sports, and enhance parental control over education regarding pronouns and gender identity instruction.
Leger’s poll shows about one in three (35%) Albertans believe minors aged 17 and under should be able to get breast or penis removal surgery if they have parental consent.
On the other hand, 44% believe that such should be prohibited, again showing that more Albertans agree with Smith on this particular policy than disagree.
As for the hormone therapy policy Smith announced, 44% agree compared to 29% who said minors 15 and under should be able to receive such as long as they have parental consent. 12% of respondents said that kids should be able to receive hormone therapy and puberty blockers even without parental consent.
Leger also noted that “Respondents with children under 18 at home tend to be somewhat more supportive of the government’s announced policies on gender affirming care for minors.”
Is a “trans kid” ever a confused kid?
Smith’s policies, while degraded as being “hateful” and “dangerous,” are actually supported by a study that suggests most minors who believe they are in the wrong body later realize they were simply confused.
Moreover, a recent study suggests that giving puberty blockers to “trans kids” may lower their IQ, along with several other negative effects — including making them sterile.
Another study revealed that transgender women who take “gender-affirming” hormones face a 95% higher risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions.
