As the Saskatchewan Party remains in power after Monday’s election, some trans advocates, experts, families and teens worry about the future.

Premier Scott Moe made a campaign promise that, if re-elected, his party’s “first order of business” would be a policy that would restrict students from changing rooms based on their sex assigned at birth. Moe said this is a safety issue.

Shala Nufeld said she is scared and disappointed about the future that awaits her nonbinary trans son, Zipp. Zipp said the locker rooms and bathrooms at her Saskatoon school are “already stressful” since they are not gender neutral.

“We should just have neutral spaces for kids who are non-binary, transgender, and the policy just moves the brand further and further away from spaces that can ultimately be inclusive of everyone,” Shala said.

“How do you fix that without invading the children and checking their genitals?”

Zipp said the policy would affect children’s mental health and their participation in schools. The 12-year-old said the implementation of the policy will be “disgusting.”

His family moved from rural Saskatchewan to escape the transphobia Zipp faced when they came out in second grade. They are worried they will have to move again if the policy is approved.

“It seems like Scott Moe is just pushing trans kids toward mental health issues. He does it on purpose,” Zipp said, noting that transphobia at school has increased. “This is just a step back.”

Shala worries the next four years could make Saskatchewan even “more homophobic and transphobic.”

‘Dangerous and unsafe’: trans girl

One trans girl, whom CBC is not identifying, said she already hears from “religious peers” who don’t feel comfortable changing in her presence, even when she has transitioned.

“I was added to group chats where I was hit, insulted, and made fun of just for being trans. This policy will create a huge disconnect between students and their safety,” she said.

The ninth-grade student in Saskatoon was already “negatively affected” this year due to Bill 137, or the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which requires parental consent before a child under 16 can use a different gender-related name or pronoun at school.

“With this (locker room) policy, I would have to change in the boys’ bathroom. It’s very dangerous and unsafe,” she said. “It’s hard to put into words when the government is actively working against you.”

‘I’m scared’: father

Chris said his ninth-grade son, Ray, has faced bullying and transphobia since Bill 137 was signed into law. CBC is not using their real names because they fear public speaking will lead to more hate.

“I’m angry that my son is being used as a political pawn in their game. I’m afraid transphobia will only increase,” said Chris, who is also an educator.

“It’s heartbreaking to watch your child come home day after day and be told they’re not okay the way they are.”

Ray, who is gender non-conforming, said many trans kids at her Saskatoon school are traumatized by dead names or being outed.

“The locker room policy will make our lives extremely uncomfortable,” they said.

Ray said the locker rooms at his previous school were not safe as his classmates would “click pictures on the stalls”.

“When I was in seventh grade, they called me transsexual,” the 14-year-old said. “Now, I’m walking home from school or walking down the halls and people are barking or meowing at me.”

Ray said barking or meowing is a recent form of dehumanizing bullying against queer children.

‘Politically impotent’: Regina councilor

Regina Ward 3 councilor Andrew Stevens wrote a “very harsh” letter to Moe shortly after the initial announcement.

“Basically, what I said is that you are intellectually and politically impotent because you can’t handle these serious problems. He deserved it,” Stevens said.

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Regina Councilor Andrew Stevens sent a strongly worded letter to Sask. Premier Scott Moe after announcing that his “first order of business” if re-elected would be to establish a policy restricting the use of student locker rooms in the province’s schools to the sex assigned at birth.

Making a political stand on the shoulders of trans children, Stevens said, is “disgusting.”

Stevens said he has received positive responses to his letter.

“The level of victimization (for) children who are struggling with the realities of life right now is staggering,” he said.

Stevens said it is unfair to perceive the problem as an urban problem, since children in rural communities are affected. He urges Moe to pause his politics and focus on issues like the complexity of classrooms in schools.

2SLGBTQ+ groups condemn politics

2SLGBTQ+ groups are also expressing their opposition. In a Facebook post, Prince Albert Pride condemned the “anti-trans violence fueled” by the government.

OutSaskatoon also took to social media to denounce the potential policy. Analu Alvarez, education manager there, said Moe’s “discriminatory” comments to promote his career are concerning.

The organization has received calls from students because they do not feel safe at school.

“Creating safe spaces is very important, especially in schools,” Alvarez said.

He said more trans youth have accessed the organization’s services over the past year.

“We’ve seen more young people trying to speak out, feeling heartbroken, attacked and afraid of who they are and not being able to be safe at school,” she said.

Alvarez said the “transphobic” policy specifically discriminates against trans girls who are already the most vulnerable.

“We know that he is discriminating the most against the most vulnerable people in the community,” she said. “It’s going to be dark.”

‘I want to leave Sask’: Mother of trans child

Amy, a mother of a trans child, said she is contemplating leaving the province permanently. CBC is not identifying her so as not to reveal her son.

“My first thought when the policy was announced was, ‘When will this end? How far will it go?'” he said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Amy said her trans daughter had transitioned before the pronoun bill was passed.

“When Bill 137 was signed into law, we immediately legally changed everything so that all of your documentation, your health card, birth certificate, passport, everything is consistent,” he said. “Basically out of fear that inconsistent documentation could be detrimental.”

She said fear “and fierce anger” are common among other parents.

“It is difficult to live in a province where secrecy must be kept,” he said. “You don’t feel like you can encourage your kids to just be themselves. Your nerves are high all the time.”

‘Focus drift’

Rachel Loewen Walker, assistant professor and director of the women’s and gender studies program in the political studies department at the University of Saskatchewan, said the political promise was “a ploy to get votes.”

“This is just a complete and total misdirection and sets up an incredibly dangerous future for many children in our province,” he said.

Loewen Walker said New Brunswick had submitted similar policies against trans children and so? backfired and Prime Minister Blaine Higgs lost the choice.

“Saskatchewan now remains an outlier and continues to push anti-trans policies,” he said, stating that Saskatchewan is leading “the way as the most transphobic province.”

“It’s really shameful to have a government that attacks children,” he said.

“This shows us that we have a government that does not respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.”

Loewen Walker said locker rooms often have spaces for showers and, if the policy is implemented, it would certainly affect bathroom use. He said the argument goes beyond security.

“Scott Moe frames that safety as exclusion, segregation, separation.”