The University of Victoria’s Chair of Transgender Studies, Aaron Devor, expressed concern over the anticipated drop in attendance for the Moving Trans History Forward conference this year. Devor cited a potential 40% decrease in numbers, attributing it to U.S. attendees’ fears of returning to the United States after crossing the border.
Devor highlighted the impact of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump’s administration, which emphasized a binary view of sex as male and female, fixed from birth. The conference, originally expecting 500 participants based on past events, is now projected to host around 300 individuals due to American apprehension about international travel.
The event, commencing on Thursday and running until Sunday, features a diverse lineup of activists, academics, and artists from around the globe. Notably, American philanthropist Jennifer Pritzker, a retired lieutenant colonel from the Illinois Army National Guard and a transgender advocate, is scheduled to speak at the conference.
In light of the Trump administration’s policies affecting the transgender community, including restrictions on gender markers in official documents, attendees from the U.S. are experiencing heightened anxiety about traveling to Canada for the conference. Social justice lawyer Adrienne Smith, another conference speaker, criticized the administration for spreading misinformation and fostering an unsafe environment for transgender individuals.
Smith, also the litigation director at Catherine White Holman Wellness Centre, mentioned an influx of immigration inquiries from trans people seeking refuge in Canada. However, limited immigration options are available for those individuals due to stringent regulations.
The conference’s significance in discussing research and human rights amidst anti-trans sentiments was underscored by Devor and Smith. They emphasized the importance of community gatherings like the conference, despite efforts to isolate and instill fear within the transgender population by the current U.S. administration.
