U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order that the government will only recognize two sexes has raised concerns in Manitoba about anti-LGBTTQ+ sentiment ratcheting up.
“It might creep over the border,” said Pauline Emerson-Froebe, president of Pembina Valley Pride, who moved to Carman from Milwaukee, Wis., with her wife eight years ago after Trump was elected the first time.
“Check in on your queer friends, on your family members, on anybody who’s in a marginalized group, because we’re fearful,” she said Thursday. “A little act of kindness can go a long way in helping us feel loved and accepted and just wanted.”
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Nahanni Fontaine, minister responsible for gender equity, outside one of the all gender washrooms Thursday at the Manitoba Legislative Building. Fontaine says she wants to see everyone live ‘authentic, joyful lives.’
Manitoba’s minister for gender equity said the reality is what happens down south impacts Canadians.
“I think that what we’ve seen from his first term is that people become more emboldened when they see leadership at the highest level say and do particular things,” Nahanni Fontaine said Thursday.
“We have always operated under the banner of inclusivity and allowing folks to live authentic, joyful lives, and as minister responsible, that is what I’m concentrating on for the next four years — and certainly for the rest of my life.”
Emerson-Froebe said the fear in the U.S. is LGBTTQ+ people are being pushed back into the closet. The result, she said, is LGBTTQ+ people don’t want to spend their money down there.
“People don’t want to go down to Fargo, to Grand Forks, to go shopping or whatnot as, traditionally, a lot of people have done. We don’t know what kind of hassle, what kind of pushback we’re going to get while we’re there, which is very unfortunate because it seems to me that half the population don’t have an issue” with LGBTTQ+ people, she said.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, who identifies as queer and non-binary, wouldn’t say if they have any concern about visiting the U.S.
“My biggest concern, quite frankly, is just making sure that young people today, especially, know that they’re valued,” said Asagwara.
Asagwara is concerned young Manitobans are hearing messages that are “hurtful and harmful.”
“I think that we have a responsibility as elected people to celebrate others, to lead with compassion and care, and to recognize that even if you don’t understand another person’s lived experience, it doesn’t mean we can’t treat them with dignity and respect.”
With a federal election looming, LGBTTQ+ people and political analysts were keen to hear Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre respond to questions about the Trump’s order recognizing only two sexes. In an interview Wednesday, Poilievre — who polls predict will win the next election — told CP24 he is only aware of two genders and that the government should leave questions of gender identity alone.
“That doesn’t mean others don’t exist, because he may not be recognizing it,” said Emerson-Froebe. “It doesn’t matter what label you put on it. We’re still here.”
She accused the Tory leader of mixed messaging.
“Sometimes politicians will say that parents should be able to decide what happens with their kids.”
The parental rights movement supported by Poilievre and the Manitoba Tories during 2023’s provincial election, for instance, demanded that teachers inform parents of the gender identity their child uses at school.
“But then, the minute parents of trans kids are like, ‘Hey, can we access puberty blockers for my kid? Can we get this help?’ Suddenly the answer is ‘No, parents shouldn’t be able to make that decision,’” said Emerson-Froebe.
Brandon University political science Prof. Kelly Saunders called Poilievre’s response hypocritical.
“The Conservative Party has come out and supported so-called parental rights movements across the provinces, have said things that are inflammatory — that some would say are transphobic, homophobic, and certainly not supportive of the LGBT community,” said Saunders, whose daughter identifies as trans.
“So it’s kind of ironic that he’s calling on people now to mind their own business when he, himself, has been wading into this issue, and not in a supportive or in an ally-ship type of way. It would be good if everybody stopped worrying about everybody else’s gender identity. But unfortunately, he and other politicians like him are refusing to do that. And that’s part of the reason why we’re seeing this backlash against the trans and queer community and that has led to the rise in hate crimes against the LGBT community.”
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
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