Jake Pyne | York University (original) (raw)

Papers and Book Chapters by Jake Pyne

Thirty Years of Feminist Research, 2022

Trans Youth Stories: An Intergenerational Dialogue after the Tipping Point, 2021

South Atlantic Quarterly, 2021

The desire for transgender futures has grown exponentially in recent years, but many of these fut... more The desire for transgender futures has grown exponentially in recent years, but many of these futures are traps, concealing a demand to assume normative and neoliberal priorities in exchange for citizenship and belonging. This article argues that some of these traps might be undone through autistic disruption. Dwelling with the life writing and memoir of individuals both autistic and trans, it suggests that, by choice or by circumstance, autistic-trans narratives defy the chrononormative mandate of the able-minded future. By claiming autism and gender nonconformity as mutually inclusive, foregrounding alternative sensorealities, and interrupting the incitement to get better, this article argues that cripping trans time through autistic disruption offers what Gossett, Stanley, and Burton call a “trap door”: a route of escape from the normate trans future and a way for autistic life to insist on its own continuation and survivance.

Canadian Journal of Law & Society, 2020

In the 1960s and 1970s, psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles, operated two ... more In the 1960s and 1970s, psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles, operated two behaviour modification programs: one aiming to eliminate "feminine" behaviours in male-bodied children ("conversion therapy"), and one targeting autistic children's so-called problem behaviours (applied behavioural analysis or ABA). The head of the autism program referred to his work as "building a person." Decades later in Ontario, a radically incommensurate legal context sees conversion therapy banned while ABA receives millions of funding dollars. Drawing on legislation, case law, media, and clinical literature, I argue that the process of trans communities wresting themselves out from under conversion therapy involved discursively shifting from having a condition to being human - a process of "building a person" - still incomplete for autistic communities. While legal reforms protect some trans youth from harmful therapies, this does not extend to autistic trans youth, leading us to question at whose expense a rights-bearing trans person was built.

Somatechnics, 2017

In 2004, a young Seattle girl with significant disabilities known only by the pseudonym Ashley X,... more In 2004, a young Seattle girl with significant disabilities known only by the pseudonym Ashley X, underwent a series of medical procedures without her consent. At the request of her parents, Ashley received a mastectomy, a hysterectomy and hormonal treatment, designed to arrest her development in a childlike state. In the eyes of her doctors, her family, and their lawyers, it was urgent that Ashley's body be aligned with her purported cognitive age. The temporal and ethical arguments used to justify her 'Treatment' turned Ashley's body into a site of international debate over disability and human rights, consent and medical science, eugenics and human engineering. Yet the similarities and differences between Ashley's non-consensual pubertal arrest versus that actively sought by trans youth are rarely mentioned. This paper uses the clinical and media discourses at work in both the 'Ashley Treatment' and the treatment sought by trans youth to think through this moment in which some bodies are treated to greater forms of autonomy while other bodies have none. I argue that the discourses used to secure transition for some trans youth ought to be weighed against the implications for others, in particular for trans youth with disabilities. While the availability of puberty suppression for trans youth can be narrated as a sign that things are getting better, the literatures of queer temporality and critical disability studies help to consider that it may also augur something else—a widening gap between those invested with the ability to stop time versus those who are stopped in time.

Queering Social Work Education, 2016

Journal of Progressive Human Services, 2016

Parents of gender non-conforming children encounter substantial conflict as they negotiate their ... more Parents of gender non-conforming children encounter substantial conflict as they negotiate their children’s “Otherness.” For decades, a pathologizing service model has advocated clinical correction. In opposition, some parents adopt affirming stances toward their children. This study explored the knowledge underneath this stance, asking parents of gender non-conforming children how they know what they know. Analysis revealed a process of recognition and knowledge of the children’s needs acquired through relationship. Drawing on political philosophy and psychoanalytic theory, I argue that the affirming approach to gender non-conforming children is a non-aggressive response to the “Other” and a justice-based parenting practice.

Annual Review of Critical Psychology, 2014

Since the 1960's, children who fail to conform to expected gender roles (gender non-conforming ch... more Since the 1960's, children who fail to conform to expected gender roles (gender non-conforming children) have been the recipients of troubling psychological treatments designed to bring their gender expression in line with social norms. Proponents of these programs deem them necessary to alleviate children's " distress " and " discomfort " while critics charge clinicians with doing harm to children through a reprehensible practice. In this paper, I apply Foucauldian theories of power to the work of two clinicians (George Rekers and Kenneth Zucker) to explore how families with gender non-conforming children are governed in corrective treatment programs. While it is frequently noted that gender non-conforming children face rejection and exclusion, I argue for consideration of corrective treatment programs as a calculated and dangerous form of inclusion – an ensemble of disciplinary techniques drawing these children and their families into an enclosure of dangerous power relations. I propose that these treatments are reflective of the historical shift in the exercise of power in modern liberal democracies whereby populations are increasingly governed through expert knowledge, the administration of shame and the exploitation of the desire for success and normality. I outline a politic of response based on Butler's concept of intelligibility and the goal of doing justice to someone.

Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2014

Recent years have seen a substantial change in how children who challenge gender norms (referred ... more Recent years have seen a substantial change in how children who challenge gender norms (referred to in this article as ‘‘Gender Independent’’) are regarded by professionals, by their families and by the public at large. Pathologized and treated for decades as a mental illness, childhood gender non-conformity would seem to be imbued with new meaning, as evidenced by a growing number of public voices claiming gender variance as part of human diversity. Call it a paradigm shift: from disorder to diversity, from treatment to affirmation, from pathology to pride, from cure to community. This commentary article reflects on recent shifts in language, shifts in identity options, and shifts in the focus of intervention with gender non-conforming children. Drawing on existing research and public discourse, I consider what the field of human sexuality can learn from ‘‘Gender Independence.’’

Canadian Social Work Review, 2011

International Journal of Transgenderism, 2018

Background: It has been widely suggested that over 80% of transgender children will come to ident... more Background: It has been widely suggested that over 80% of transgender children will come to identify as cisgender (i.e., desist) as they mature, with the assumption that for this 80%, the trans identity was a temporary " phase. " This statistic is used as the scientific rationale for discouraging social transition for pre-pubertal children. This article is a critical commentary on the limitations of this research and a caution against using these studies to develop care recommendations for gender-nonconforming children.

Methods: A critical review methodology is employed to systematically interpret four frequently-cited studies that sought to document identity outcomes for gender-nonconforming children (often referred to as " desistance " research).

Results: Methodological, theoretical, ethical, and interpretive concerns regarding four " desistance " studies are presented. The authors clarify the historical and clinical contexts within which these studies were conducted to deconstruct assumptions in interpretations of the results. The discussion makes distinctions between the specific evidence provided by these studies versus the assumptions that have shaped recommendations for care. The affirmative model is presented as a way to move away from the question of, " How should children's gender identities develop over time? " toward a more useful question: " How should children best be supported as their gender identity develops? "

Conclusion: The tethering of childhood gender diversity to the framework of " desistance " or " persistence " has stifled advancements in our understanding of children's gender in all its complexity. These follow-up studies fall short in helping us understand what children need. As work begins on the 8th version of the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, we call for a more inclusive conceptual framework that takes children's voices seriously. Listening to children's experiences will enable a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of gender-nonconforming children and provide guidance to scientific and lay communities.

International Journal of Transgenderism, 2018

The authors answer recent responses by Steensma & Cohen-Kettenis (2018) and Zucker (2018) to our ... more The authors answer recent responses by Steensma & Cohen-Kettenis (2018) and Zucker (2018) to our critical commentary on “desistance” stereotypes and their underlying research on trans and gender diverse children (Temple Newhook et al., 2018). We provide clarification in the following areas: (1) the scope of our paper; (2) our support of longitudinal studies; (3) consequences of harm to trans and gender diverse children; (4) clinical practice implications; (5) concerns about validity of research methodology; and (6) the importance of learning to listen to trans and gender diverse children.

LGBTQ People and Social Work: Intersectional Perspectives, 2015

Emotion, Space Society, 2017

Canadian Family Physician, 2018

Action Research , 2013

Newer forms of community-based participatory research (CBPR) prioritize community control over co... more Newer forms of community-based participatory research (CBPR) prioritize community control over community engagement, and articles that outline some of the challenges inherent in this approach to CBPR are imperative in terms of advancing knowledge and practice. This article outlines the community control strategy utilized by Trans PULSE, an Ontario-wide research initiative devoted to understanding the ways in which social exclusion, cisnormativity (the belief that transgender (trans) identities or bodies are less authentic or ‘normal’), and transphobia shape the provision of services and affect health outcomes for trans people in Ontario, Canada. While we have been successful in building and supporting a solid model of community control in research, challenges have emerged related to: power differentials between community and academic part- ners, unintentional disempowerment of community members through the research process, the impact of community-level trauma on team dynamics, and differing visions about the importance and place of anti-racism work. Challenges are detailed as ‘lessons learned’ and a series of key questions for CBPR teams to consider are offered.

Chasing Rainbows: Exploring Gender Fluid Parenting Practices, 2013

Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 2015

Limited research regarding transsexual or transgender (trans) par- ents has often focused on thei... more Limited research regarding transsexual or transgender (trans) par- ents has often focused on their children. This analysis represents the first published profile of trans parents (N = 110) from a large probability-based sample of trans people (N = 433). The Trans PULSE Project used respondent-driven sampling to collect survey data from trans people in Ontario, Canada. Trans parents differed from nonparents in that they were older, more educated, and had higher personal incomes. Trans parents did not differ significantly from nonparents in the level of transphobia they experienced and many reported being impacted by multiple stressors. A majority felt that being trans had hurt or embarrassed their family, worried about growing old alone because they are trans, or had been made fun of for being trans. A substantial minority had been turned down for a job, had to move away, been hit or beat up, been harassed by police, or been fired from a job because they were trans. Some reported no legal access to their child (18.1%) or having lost cus- tody or having custody reduced because they were trans (17.7%). Recommendations are made for mental health professionals to sup- port trans parents and their families through psychosocial support, family therapy, professional training, and advocacy.

Service Social, 2013

While transgender and transsexual (trans) communities have been documented to experience high rat... more While transgender and transsexual (trans) communities have been documented to experience high rates of suicidality, little attention has been paid to how this may vary based on experiences of social injustice. Using survey data from the Trans PULSE Project (n=433), we estimated that suicidal thoughts were experienced by 36% of trans Ontarians over the past year, and that 10% attempted suicide during that time. Moreover, we documented that youth and those experiencing transphobia and lack of support are at heightened risk. Suicidality varied greatly by medical transition status, with those who were planning to transition sex, but who had not yet begun, being most vulnerable. Recommendations are made for improving wellbeing in trans communities, through policy advocacy, service provision, access to transition care, and fostering accepting families and communities.

BMC Public Health, 2015

Background: Across Europe, Canada, and the United States, 22-43 % of transgender (trans) people r... more Background: Across Europe, Canada, and the United States, 22-43 % of transgender (trans) people report a history of suicide attempts. We aimed to identify intervenable factors (related to social inclusion, transphobia, or sex/ gender transition) associated with reduced risk of past-year suicide ideation or attempt, and to quantify the potential population health impact.

Thirty Years of Feminist Research, 2022

Trans Youth Stories: An Intergenerational Dialogue after the Tipping Point, 2021

South Atlantic Quarterly, 2021

The desire for transgender futures has grown exponentially in recent years, but many of these fut... more The desire for transgender futures has grown exponentially in recent years, but many of these futures are traps, concealing a demand to assume normative and neoliberal priorities in exchange for citizenship and belonging. This article argues that some of these traps might be undone through autistic disruption. Dwelling with the life writing and memoir of individuals both autistic and trans, it suggests that, by choice or by circumstance, autistic-trans narratives defy the chrononormative mandate of the able-minded future. By claiming autism and gender nonconformity as mutually inclusive, foregrounding alternative sensorealities, and interrupting the incitement to get better, this article argues that cripping trans time through autistic disruption offers what Gossett, Stanley, and Burton call a “trap door”: a route of escape from the normate trans future and a way for autistic life to insist on its own continuation and survivance.

Canadian Journal of Law & Society, 2020

In the 1960s and 1970s, psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles, operated two ... more In the 1960s and 1970s, psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles, operated two behaviour modification programs: one aiming to eliminate "feminine" behaviours in male-bodied children ("conversion therapy"), and one targeting autistic children's so-called problem behaviours (applied behavioural analysis or ABA). The head of the autism program referred to his work as "building a person." Decades later in Ontario, a radically incommensurate legal context sees conversion therapy banned while ABA receives millions of funding dollars. Drawing on legislation, case law, media, and clinical literature, I argue that the process of trans communities wresting themselves out from under conversion therapy involved discursively shifting from having a condition to being human - a process of "building a person" - still incomplete for autistic communities. While legal reforms protect some trans youth from harmful therapies, this does not extend to autistic trans youth, leading us to question at whose expense a rights-bearing trans person was built.

Somatechnics, 2017

In 2004, a young Seattle girl with significant disabilities known only by the pseudonym Ashley X,... more In 2004, a young Seattle girl with significant disabilities known only by the pseudonym Ashley X, underwent a series of medical procedures without her consent. At the request of her parents, Ashley received a mastectomy, a hysterectomy and hormonal treatment, designed to arrest her development in a childlike state. In the eyes of her doctors, her family, and their lawyers, it was urgent that Ashley's body be aligned with her purported cognitive age. The temporal and ethical arguments used to justify her 'Treatment' turned Ashley's body into a site of international debate over disability and human rights, consent and medical science, eugenics and human engineering. Yet the similarities and differences between Ashley's non-consensual pubertal arrest versus that actively sought by trans youth are rarely mentioned. This paper uses the clinical and media discourses at work in both the 'Ashley Treatment' and the treatment sought by trans youth to think through this moment in which some bodies are treated to greater forms of autonomy while other bodies have none. I argue that the discourses used to secure transition for some trans youth ought to be weighed against the implications for others, in particular for trans youth with disabilities. While the availability of puberty suppression for trans youth can be narrated as a sign that things are getting better, the literatures of queer temporality and critical disability studies help to consider that it may also augur something else—a widening gap between those invested with the ability to stop time versus those who are stopped in time.

Queering Social Work Education, 2016

Journal of Progressive Human Services, 2016

Parents of gender non-conforming children encounter substantial conflict as they negotiate their ... more Parents of gender non-conforming children encounter substantial conflict as they negotiate their children’s “Otherness.” For decades, a pathologizing service model has advocated clinical correction. In opposition, some parents adopt affirming stances toward their children. This study explored the knowledge underneath this stance, asking parents of gender non-conforming children how they know what they know. Analysis revealed a process of recognition and knowledge of the children’s needs acquired through relationship. Drawing on political philosophy and psychoanalytic theory, I argue that the affirming approach to gender non-conforming children is a non-aggressive response to the “Other” and a justice-based parenting practice.

Annual Review of Critical Psychology, 2014

Since the 1960's, children who fail to conform to expected gender roles (gender non-conforming ch... more Since the 1960's, children who fail to conform to expected gender roles (gender non-conforming children) have been the recipients of troubling psychological treatments designed to bring their gender expression in line with social norms. Proponents of these programs deem them necessary to alleviate children's " distress " and " discomfort " while critics charge clinicians with doing harm to children through a reprehensible practice. In this paper, I apply Foucauldian theories of power to the work of two clinicians (George Rekers and Kenneth Zucker) to explore how families with gender non-conforming children are governed in corrective treatment programs. While it is frequently noted that gender non-conforming children face rejection and exclusion, I argue for consideration of corrective treatment programs as a calculated and dangerous form of inclusion – an ensemble of disciplinary techniques drawing these children and their families into an enclosure of dangerous power relations. I propose that these treatments are reflective of the historical shift in the exercise of power in modern liberal democracies whereby populations are increasingly governed through expert knowledge, the administration of shame and the exploitation of the desire for success and normality. I outline a politic of response based on Butler's concept of intelligibility and the goal of doing justice to someone.

Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2014

Recent years have seen a substantial change in how children who challenge gender norms (referred ... more Recent years have seen a substantial change in how children who challenge gender norms (referred to in this article as ‘‘Gender Independent’’) are regarded by professionals, by their families and by the public at large. Pathologized and treated for decades as a mental illness, childhood gender non-conformity would seem to be imbued with new meaning, as evidenced by a growing number of public voices claiming gender variance as part of human diversity. Call it a paradigm shift: from disorder to diversity, from treatment to affirmation, from pathology to pride, from cure to community. This commentary article reflects on recent shifts in language, shifts in identity options, and shifts in the focus of intervention with gender non-conforming children. Drawing on existing research and public discourse, I consider what the field of human sexuality can learn from ‘‘Gender Independence.’’

Canadian Social Work Review, 2011

International Journal of Transgenderism, 2018

Background: It has been widely suggested that over 80% of transgender children will come to ident... more Background: It has been widely suggested that over 80% of transgender children will come to identify as cisgender (i.e., desist) as they mature, with the assumption that for this 80%, the trans identity was a temporary " phase. " This statistic is used as the scientific rationale for discouraging social transition for pre-pubertal children. This article is a critical commentary on the limitations of this research and a caution against using these studies to develop care recommendations for gender-nonconforming children.

Methods: A critical review methodology is employed to systematically interpret four frequently-cited studies that sought to document identity outcomes for gender-nonconforming children (often referred to as " desistance " research).

Results: Methodological, theoretical, ethical, and interpretive concerns regarding four " desistance " studies are presented. The authors clarify the historical and clinical contexts within which these studies were conducted to deconstruct assumptions in interpretations of the results. The discussion makes distinctions between the specific evidence provided by these studies versus the assumptions that have shaped recommendations for care. The affirmative model is presented as a way to move away from the question of, " How should children's gender identities develop over time? " toward a more useful question: " How should children best be supported as their gender identity develops? "

Conclusion: The tethering of childhood gender diversity to the framework of " desistance " or " persistence " has stifled advancements in our understanding of children's gender in all its complexity. These follow-up studies fall short in helping us understand what children need. As work begins on the 8th version of the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, we call for a more inclusive conceptual framework that takes children's voices seriously. Listening to children's experiences will enable a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of gender-nonconforming children and provide guidance to scientific and lay communities.

International Journal of Transgenderism, 2018

The authors answer recent responses by Steensma & Cohen-Kettenis (2018) and Zucker (2018) to our ... more The authors answer recent responses by Steensma & Cohen-Kettenis (2018) and Zucker (2018) to our critical commentary on “desistance” stereotypes and their underlying research on trans and gender diverse children (Temple Newhook et al., 2018). We provide clarification in the following areas: (1) the scope of our paper; (2) our support of longitudinal studies; (3) consequences of harm to trans and gender diverse children; (4) clinical practice implications; (5) concerns about validity of research methodology; and (6) the importance of learning to listen to trans and gender diverse children.

LGBTQ People and Social Work: Intersectional Perspectives, 2015

Emotion, Space Society, 2017

Canadian Family Physician, 2018

Action Research , 2013

Newer forms of community-based participatory research (CBPR) prioritize community control over co... more Newer forms of community-based participatory research (CBPR) prioritize community control over community engagement, and articles that outline some of the challenges inherent in this approach to CBPR are imperative in terms of advancing knowledge and practice. This article outlines the community control strategy utilized by Trans PULSE, an Ontario-wide research initiative devoted to understanding the ways in which social exclusion, cisnormativity (the belief that transgender (trans) identities or bodies are less authentic or ‘normal’), and transphobia shape the provision of services and affect health outcomes for trans people in Ontario, Canada. While we have been successful in building and supporting a solid model of community control in research, challenges have emerged related to: power differentials between community and academic part- ners, unintentional disempowerment of community members through the research process, the impact of community-level trauma on team dynamics, and differing visions about the importance and place of anti-racism work. Challenges are detailed as ‘lessons learned’ and a series of key questions for CBPR teams to consider are offered.

Chasing Rainbows: Exploring Gender Fluid Parenting Practices, 2013

Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 2015

Limited research regarding transsexual or transgender (trans) par- ents has often focused on thei... more Limited research regarding transsexual or transgender (trans) par- ents has often focused on their children. This analysis represents the first published profile of trans parents (N = 110) from a large probability-based sample of trans people (N = 433). The Trans PULSE Project used respondent-driven sampling to collect survey data from trans people in Ontario, Canada. Trans parents differed from nonparents in that they were older, more educated, and had higher personal incomes. Trans parents did not differ significantly from nonparents in the level of transphobia they experienced and many reported being impacted by multiple stressors. A majority felt that being trans had hurt or embarrassed their family, worried about growing old alone because they are trans, or had been made fun of for being trans. A substantial minority had been turned down for a job, had to move away, been hit or beat up, been harassed by police, or been fired from a job because they were trans. Some reported no legal access to their child (18.1%) or having lost cus- tody or having custody reduced because they were trans (17.7%). Recommendations are made for mental health professionals to sup- port trans parents and their families through psychosocial support, family therapy, professional training, and advocacy.

Service Social, 2013

While transgender and transsexual (trans) communities have been documented to experience high rat... more While transgender and transsexual (trans) communities have been documented to experience high rates of suicidality, little attention has been paid to how this may vary based on experiences of social injustice. Using survey data from the Trans PULSE Project (n=433), we estimated that suicidal thoughts were experienced by 36% of trans Ontarians over the past year, and that 10% attempted suicide during that time. Moreover, we documented that youth and those experiencing transphobia and lack of support are at heightened risk. Suicidality varied greatly by medical transition status, with those who were planning to transition sex, but who had not yet begun, being most vulnerable. Recommendations are made for improving wellbeing in trans communities, through policy advocacy, service provision, access to transition care, and fostering accepting families and communities.

BMC Public Health, 2015

Background: Across Europe, Canada, and the United States, 22-43 % of transgender (trans) people r... more Background: Across Europe, Canada, and the United States, 22-43 % of transgender (trans) people report a history of suicide attempts. We aimed to identify intervenable factors (related to social inclusion, transphobia, or sex/ gender transition) associated with reduced risk of past-year suicide ideation or attempt, and to quantify the potential population health impact.

The Wellesley Institute's Advanced Grants programs supports and funds community-based research on... more The Wellesley Institute's Advanced Grants programs supports and funds community-based research on housing, health equity, poverty, social exclusion, and other social and economic inequalities as key determinants of health disparities.

The purpose of this factsheet is to share information with health and social service providers in... more The purpose of this factsheet is to share information with health and social service providers in Ontario regarding evidence-based best practices for working with and supporting gender independent children and their families.

Trans PULSE is a community-based research project investigating the impact of social exclusion an... more Trans PULSE is a community-based research project investigating the impact of social exclusion and discrimination on the health of trans people in Ontario, Canada. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, this project is a partnership between researchers, trans community members, and community organizations committed to improving health outcomes for trans people. We hope that health professionals, policy makers, trans communities and allies will use the results of this research to remove barriers, create positive changes, and to improve the health and well-being of trans people.

Trans PULSE is a community-based research project investigating the impact of social exclusion an... more Trans PULSE is a community-based research project investigating the impact of social exclusion and discrimination on the health of trans people in Ontario, Canada. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, this project is a partnership between researchers, trans community members, and community organizations committed to improving health outcomes for trans people. We hope that health professionals, policy makers, trans communities and allies will use the results of this research to remove barriers, create positive changes, and to improve the health and well-being of trans people.

Globe and Mail , 2019

Last year, a courageous 11-year-old trans girl (who is only being identified as AB) took the Ford... more Last year, a courageous 11-year-old trans girl (who is only being identified as AB) took the Ford government to court over the repeal of the provincial sexual-health curriculum-specifically over the replacement of the 2015 K-6 curriculum that mentioned gender identity and trans people, with a former curriculum that mostly did not. She took her case to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. But earlier this month, the tribunal made its deeply disappointing decision: It dismissed the case as moot. First, some clarification. The tribunal made it clear in their written decision that the dismissal of this case was not due to a lack of concern, but because they felt compelled to defer to the ruling in a similar and parallel case over the same curriculum in Divisional Court that the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario lost to the provincial government. That decision said that teachers will not be prevented from discussing trans issues in the classroom, and that they will still be mandated to include all students in their sexual-health lessons and be permitted to draw on the rescinded 2015 curriculum to do so. Moreover, there is an existing Ministry of Education directive that requires anti-discrimination policies in schools. These are all good things. Still, it's difficult to see the tribunal's decision as separate from the recent trend of authorities making it harder to be trans in Ontario. As an expert witness in this case, I can confirm that there is certainly research evidence supporting the explicit inclusion of trans content and the suggestion that AB is being discriminated against. There is data demonstrating that the difficulties trans people face (mental

We've heard a great deal lately from U of T professor Jordan Peterson that non-binary gender pron... more We've heard a great deal lately from U of T professor Jordan Peterson that non-binary gender pronouns are kooky, but in what kind of society does the sentiment "You can't make me" constitute a compelling argument? https://nowtoronto.com/news/gender-pronoun-war-free-speech/ Between 1999 and 2001, I used the pronoun "they." At the time, I was certain I wasn't "she," but "he" didn't seem right either.