As governments worldwide pass legislation to curtail LGBTQ2S+ rights, a concerning trend has emerged: deadnaming. This insidious practice involves using someone’s previous name or gender identity after they have publicly disclosed their current one, often as a way to prove a scornful point.
According to Kristopher Wells, the Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, deadnaming is not new but has gained prominence recently. As he explains it colloquially arose from the slogan “That’s not my identity; that person is dead to me.” When people engage in this behavior, they are often using it as a discriminatory tool.
“It’s premised on this notion that gender identity is not real,” Wells said. He emphasized that deadnaming can be an assault on someone’s very being and has the potential to cause harm. Sadly, such actions risk outing transgender and non-binary youth to their families, potentially placing them in danger.
The stakes are particularly high for young people who may face rejection or even violence if they come out as LGBTQ2S+. As Wells noted, “Sadly, the reality is not all parents support their LGBTQ children.” This fear of being rejected can lead to feelings of isolation and hopelessness.
Laboucane added that such policies make it feel like the world is against you. He stressed that people need to understand how harmful these actions are: “It can be very freeing to go by a different name.”
The issue has become more pressing in Canada, with some provinces introducing legislation requiring parental consent for students under 16 to change their names or pronouns at school. In Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, parents must give permission before any changes can take place. Alberta is also considering similar measures.
Wells warned that these policies risk outing transgender and non-binary youth to their families, potentially putting them in harm’s way. He urged people to recognize the gravity of this situation: “A lot of people need to understand.”