A legal challenge to Saskatchewan香蕉视频直播檚 new law requiring parental consent if children under 16 want to change their names or pronouns at school is back in court this week. New Brunswick enacted a similar measure last year, and other provinces are looking at doing the same.

Lawyers representing UR Pride, an LGBT group in Regina, say the rule discriminates against youth who aren香蕉视频直播檛 able to come out to their families. The Saskatchewan and New Brunswick governments have said they made the changes after hearing from many parents that they want them.

Saskatchewan used the notwithstanding clause, a rarely used provision that lets governments override Charter rights for five years, to prevent the court challenge from proceeding.

The Canadian Press sent reporters across the country to talk to parents about the issue.

Krystle Wilpert, Calgary

The mother of a four- and seven-year-old said children should have the choice when they are that little.

香蕉视频直播淓ven with their name, sometimes they shorten their given name,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚f they are actually wanting to legally change it, then parents should be advised.

香蕉视频直播淲hen they are this little, if you want to be known as she, they, he, that香蕉视频直播檚 part of their identity, I think, and figuring out what they prefer.

香蕉视频直播淚f you want to legally change it when you香蕉视频直播檙e of age, that香蕉视频直播檚 a different story.香蕉视频直播�

Wilpert, who香蕉视频直播檚 a teacher, said parents need to have strong relationships with their children.

香蕉视频直播淚f the parents have a great relationship with the school and with their child, it probably wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be an issue.香蕉视频直播�

She said it would be awkward if Alberta were to bring in a similar policy to Saskatchewan.

香蕉视频直播淚f you香蕉视频直播檙e a classroom teacher, having to phone a parent to say, 香蕉视频直播業s it OK if I call your child they?香蕉视频直播� It creates awkwardness and it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 build that relationship that kids need to feel safe and secure when they are growing up.香蕉视频直播�

Nicolas Brizard, Montreal

The father of girls age three, five, 10 and 12, said he hadn香蕉视频直播檛 previously thought about whether parents should be notified 香蕉视频直播� or asked for their consent 香蕉视频直播� if children want to change their name or pronouns at school.

He said it香蕉视频直播檚 not something that has been the subject of widespread debate in Quebec.

Brizard said young people start really searching for their identity around the age of 14, but the idea that they could change their name or gender identity without parental permission before the age of 16 香蕉视频直播渋s a bit difficult.香蕉视频直播�

Even if parental consent isn香蕉视频直播檛 required, he said he thinks parents should be notified.

香蕉视频直播淭hey don香蕉视频直播檛 always have the necessary tools to make these decisions by themselves,香蕉视频直播� Brizard said in French.

香蕉视频直播淪ometimes they香蕉视频直播檝e had bad experiences, sometimes good experiences, but it香蕉视频直播檚 a major decision, so you need to have the necessary tools to reflect in order to make this change.香蕉视频直播�

Angela Campbell, Rothesay, N.B.

Campbell said her child was assigned female at birth, but is now gender fluid and uses the pronoun they.

香蕉视频直播淥nce puberty hit, they started experiencing anxiety and depression,香蕉视频直播� said Campbell, whose child turns 20 this week.

香蕉视频直播淚t took a long time to sort of get to the root of what was going on. It turned out to be gender identity was the root of the problem.香蕉视频直播�

She said her child found support from teachers and guidance counsellors at school, and is grateful they were there.

School and teachers offer a practice run for the real world in a safe space, and changes made by New Brunswick remove that, she said.

香蕉视频直播淚t would be wonderful and very utopian of us to think that home is always the safest place for children to be able to go and have these conversations, but that香蕉视频直播檚 not the reality.香蕉视频直播�

Jose Henriquez, Vancouver

The father said he would be supportive if one of his two sons wanted to use a different name or pronoun at school, but he would want to know about the change beforehand.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 my child. You know, we don香蕉视频直播檛 own our kids, but we raise them up in the way that we think is right,香蕉视频直播� said Henriquez, with his eight- and nine-year-old sons chatting together nearby.

香蕉视频直播淚 think if they want to do something like that, they should come to the mom and dad first.香蕉视频直播�

That香蕉视频直播檚 especially true for younger children, Henriquez said.

香蕉视频直播淲hen they香蕉视频直播檙e really young like this, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think they even know what they香蕉视频直播檙e wanting,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚f these guys are older, and he says to me something like that, then I香蕉视频直播檝e got no choice, he can do what he wants.香蕉视频直播�

Still, Henriquez said he香蕉视频直播檇 want to be the first person to have that talk with his child.

香蕉视频直播淎s a good parent, you support them because they香蕉视频直播檙e your child and you love them, you know, and you don香蕉视频直播檛 outcast them.香蕉视频直播�

Jonathan Rambo, Toronto

The father of three strongly believes parental consent should be required before a student under 16 wishes to change their pronoun or gendered name.

He said children at that age aren香蕉视频直播檛 developed enough to make those decisions for themselves.

香蕉视频直播淭hey still haven香蕉视频直播檛 reached that maturity level to be changing names,香蕉视频直播� he said

Rambo has a daughter in Grade 10, a son in Grade 8, and a son in Grade 2 香蕉视频直播� all ages at which they are still very impressionable, he said.

香蕉视频直播淟ike, my daughter, from my experience, she is still going through a whole bunch of friends,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淪o if she gets with a group of friends, and they could say, 香蕉视频直播極h let香蕉视频直播檚 change our names,香蕉视频直播� but later on she might outgrow that group of friends. It香蕉视频直播檚 still not for sure if that香蕉视频直播檚 what she香蕉视频直播檚 going to want in the future. She香蕉视频直播檚 still learning in life.香蕉视频直播�

Rambo said that even if parents aren香蕉视频直播檛 required to give consent, they should at least be informed when a child decides to use a different name or pronoun at school.

香蕉视频直播淚 would like to know if my daughter changes her name. I could be calling her Heather and her name is Mary the next day. I think that香蕉视频直播檚 a big joke. Let kids be young, let them get used to their name.香蕉视频直播�

Amanda Stajniak, Glenavon, Sask.

Stajniak lives on a farm about 100 kilometres east of Regina and has children aged 11, nine, eight, four and two.

The mother said parents should be required to give consent if their children want to change their names or pronouns at school.

香蕉视频直播淚 think parents should totally be involved, as much as possible in everything. I think it香蕉视频直播檚 a good thing,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淚f they are having any feelings, I want them to come to me first. They do spend a lot of time with the teachers, but I would hope that they would come to me first.香蕉视频直播�

Stajniak said in her community, everyone knows each other.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not much of a big deal in smaller towns,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淓verybody kind of knows everybody香蕉视频直播檚 stuff. If there香蕉视频直播檚 any kids that are going through anything, the kids come home and tell us about it.香蕉视频直播�

The mother said she didn香蕉视频直播檛 think about pronouns or name changes before Saskatchewan implemented the parental consent requirement.

香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 know someone could change their name at school. If my kids were being called something else, I would know, right?香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播� By Colette Derworiz in Calgary, Jacob Serebrin in Montreal, Hina Alam in Fredericton, Brenna Owen in Vancouver, Alex Gheciu in Toronto and Jeremy Simes in Regina

The Canadian Press