“The basic problem with the conservative discourse around ‘parents’ rights’ is that it frames children as chattel — that is, as parents’ property.” This is about Canadian politics but rhymes with what’s going on in the US around the rights of trans kids.
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Comments 3
As an American, I'm so interested to see "parent's rights" in Canada so elevated. Whereas here in the U.S. the rights of the child before its born seem to supersede the rights of the mother.
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Canadian here. "Parents' rights" is a dog whistle. I've just spent my evening walking public school parents back from what they didn't know is a dog whistle in the United States ("school choice" -- our school system is trying to push a budget cutting measure that hurts "mini schools" for talented children, or children with specific interests, in our city and they're trying to push back with Heritage Foundation studies where they don't understand the dog whistle).
Parents do not have many rights in Canada. We certainly don't have the right to turn our children into our backyards unsupervised -- others will call our version of CPS and we'll be questioned (search Manitoba and backyard and parent and police). The anti-trans thing is SO against Canadian principles but will be enshrined once Mr. Milquetoast Trudeau loses his PM position next year. (Also, climate scientists will be persecuted again. Search Harper and climate and persecution.)
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