Notice Board

Hosted by ULethbridge’s Office of Accessibility, Belonging, and Inclusion, this panel will provide a courageous space to discuss the current state of visibility and discourse around transgender, nonbinary, and genderqueer (trans+) bodies, identities, and lived realities, both globally and in Canada. 

Researchers from ULethbridge and Mount Royal University will focus on the concept of visibility and discourse — who controls public discourse, what perspectives are absent and the impact of these absences. This includes topics such as the state of trans+ "visibility" in the digital age, misinformation and disinformation on public attitudes and legislation and how efforts to increase “visibility” have been undertaken to address the greater social context around gender diversity and anti-trans attitudes. The panel will explore current Canadian legislation that threatens to erase trans+ rights and how discursive trends contribute to the "spread" of anti-trans movements.

Join us as we unravel how we came to be at this place in history, what contributed to the rampant disinformation about trans+ bodies and realities, and where we must go to ensure the future is inclusive. Learn from scholars and experts about the various ways events in the United States continue to contribute to the ongoing confusion and misinformation about trans+ folks in Canada, and how we can prevent further marginalization of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. 

Background

In recent years, there has been a significant shift in the public discourse regarding the identities, medical care, and lived realities of transgender, non-binary, and genderqueer (trans+) individuals and communities. Following the “Transgender Tipping Point” in 2015, with Laverne Cox featured on the cover of Time Magazine, the visibility of trans+ people has increased, but not entirely in a positive manner.

Despite making up a small portion of the population, trans+ individuals have been positioned as both political distractions and scapegoats to serve the agendas of far-right groups and personalities, with an ever-evolving narrative being shaped to form the needs of the day. We have seen trans feminine folks framed as both so physically strong that they are “dominating” women’s sports and "unfit" for the rigor of military service in the USA. 

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 510 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were tracked in the USA in 2023; 533 in 2024; and 598 bills are being tracked in 2025. During this timeframe, there has also been a rise in media coverage, inaccurate medical studies, and other forms of discourse about trans+ people, bodies, and identities, all lacking representation of trans+ voices. This trend has also been seen in Canada, where three provinces to date have passed legislation that targets trans+ individuals. It’s important to carefully examine not only the impact but also the need for broader discourse in this area and a reclamation of the narrative around trans+ bodies, realities, and experiences.  

2025 continues to be the moment of the most targeted moves to erase or obscure trans+ identities and denial of trans+ rights that we have seen in recent years. In the decade since the “Transgender Tipping Point,” much has changed, and current events push us to not only look towards potential trans+ futures, but also to how we came to the present circumstances regarding the legislation of trans+ bodies and rights to public life. 

Please register for this Zoom Webinar using the link below. You will receive a link to the panel in your inbox following registration. 

https://uleth.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c0n2fwJsRVuKvBV_jeeT-A