Remi Laboucane says memories of being bullied were finally fading, memories so awful he switched schools.

He was graduating from high school this summer, ready for life香蕉视频直播檚 next chapter, when he opened his yearbook to see that he and other transgender students at Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks, Alta., had been deadnamed.

香蕉视频直播淚t was just a nightmare,香蕉视频直播� the 18-year-old said in an interview.

香蕉视频直播淚 wrote a letter (to our principal) and I said, 香蕉视频直播楾his isn香蕉视频直播檛 OK, and this needs to be fixed.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淏eing called by my first name, even by accident, is just weird. It reminded me of the past, and those memories are not always good to look back on.香蕉视频直播�

Deadnaming refers to the name a transgender person was given at birth but no longer uses after transitioning.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary called it one of the most searched words in its online dictionary in 2023. Transgender advocates say as awareness increases, so does the practice of deadnaming.

Laboucane said being deadnamed reminded him of the difficult times he faced before he started high school, when he was bullied by peers for coming out as non-binary.

香蕉视频直播淭hen when I came out as a trans person, it just got worse. I was just like, 香蕉视频直播業 can香蕉视频直播檛 do this,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚 said to my mom, 香蕉视频直播業 want to move schools, and then I enrolled into Foothills.香蕉视频直播�

By the time high school began, Laboucane had chosen his new name and notified school administration.

His teachers changed his name on their attendance lists and high school went by smoothly with 香蕉视频直播渘o trouble,香蕉视频直播� Laboucane said 香蕉视频直播� until the yearbook.

The school and school division have taken action.

The school said it will reprint pages with the correct names and make them available to anyone who bought a yearbook.

Foothills School Division said it is making changes to its yearbook guidelines to ensure deadnaming doesn香蕉视频直播檛 happen again.

香蕉视频直播淲e understand how upsetting and hurtful this error is for the students and their families who were affected, as well as for the entire (school) community,香蕉视频直播� the division said in a statement.

Kristopher Wells, the Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, said the concept of deadnaming has been happening for years.

He said it has gained prominence recently, especially on social media, as governments worldwide pass legislation to curtail LGBTQ+ rights.

香蕉视频直播淒eadnaming came up colloquially or from the slogan, 香蕉视频直播楾hat香蕉视频直播檚 not my identity; that person is dead to me,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� said Wells, a professor at MacEwan University in Edmonton.

When people deadname, he said, it香蕉视频直播檚 often to prove a scornful point.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 often used in a very discriminatory way,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播�(It) is really an assault on their identity.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 premised on this notion that gender identity is not real.香蕉视频直播�

Wells said deadnaming could soon become a bigger issue in Canada, given changes in some provinces.

In Saskatchewan, the government invoked the Charter香蕉视频直播檚 notwithstanding clause last year to pass a law requiring parental consent for students under 16 to change their names or pronouns in school. New Brunswick also put in a policy requiring parental consent for those under 16.

In Alberta, the government has promised to make changes so students 15 and under need parental consent. Students 16 and 17 won香蕉视频直播檛 need consent, but their parents would still have to be notified.

Wells and Laboucane said such policies risk outing transgender and non-binary youth to their families, potentially placing them in harm香蕉视频直播檚 way.

香蕉视频直播淪adly, the reality is not all parents support their LGBTQ children,香蕉视频直播� said Wells.

Laboucane added, 香蕉视频直播�(The policies)make it feel like the world is against you.

香蕉视频直播淎 lot of people need to understand.

香蕉视频直播淚t can be very freeing to go by a different name.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播� With files from Mickey Djuric in Ottawa and The Associated Press

Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press