Tegan and Sara call out Alberta government's policies targeting trans youth at Juno Awards
Tegan and Sara, the iconic Canadian indie pop duo, took the stage at the 2024 Juno Awards in Halifax on Sunday night with strong words for the Alberta government’s policies targeting transgender youth.
The sister music duo from Calgary accepted the prestigious Humanitarian Award from Oscar-nominated Canadian trans actor Elliot Page.
The award recognized Tegan and Sara Quin for their self-titled foundation, which advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, equality, and justice.
As they took the stage, the Quin sisters addressed recent policies introduced by the Alberta government that restrict the rights and privacy of transgender and 2SLGBTQ+ youth in the province.
“Receiving this recognition is meaningful but also a reflection of the complexities our community faces today. If the world were not so hostile to 2SLGBT+ people, we would see ourselves purely as musicians,” said Sara.
“And we are dedicated to confronting any form of discrimination that threatens the wellbeing of the community. Threats like the Alberta government’s attempting to prevent trans youth from accessing vital care,” she added.
The Alberta government’s controversial policy changes, which were introduced in February, will not allow for hormonal treatment, puberty blockers, or gender-affirming surgery for any children 15 years of age and under, except for those already receiving treatment. The province also will ban top and bottom surgeries for those 17 years of age or younger.
Parents will need to give permission before students 15 and under can change their name or pronouns at school, with parents being notified for students aged 16 and 17. It will also be required for parents to give permission for children to take part in lessons about sexual health, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Viewers reacted to Tegan and Sara’s speech on X, with many applauding them for their activism and comments.
Tegan and Sara just called out the Alberta government. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #JUNOS #JUNOS2024
— Simcha Genesove (@SimchaG) March 25, 2024
tegan and sara for president tbh
— scar (@moonsofts) March 25, 2024
real talk: tegan and sara were hugely influential and important to me while i was a teen deep in the closet figuring it out. feeling so proud watching them win a humanitarian award for LGBTQ+ activism on the other side of it all #JUNOS
— ⚡️aimee pauls⚡️ (@aimee_pauls99) March 25, 2024
tegan and sara slamming the alberta government for their transphobic agenda live at the junos just added 10 years to my life
— KG 🤍 (@3kidneys_) March 25, 2024
Tegan and Sara just called out the Alberta government. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #JUNOS #JUNOS2024
— Paul McGuire (@mcguirp) March 25, 2024
Page also shared some words of support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community on the Juno Awards’ stage.
“We are at a time in history where the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ are being revoked, restricted, and eliminated throughout the world,” they said, adding the effects of such decisions are “devastating.”
With files from Allison Stephen.
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