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BC Father Who Tried To Prevent Child’s Gender Transition Loses In Supreme Court

BC Gender Transition

A Vancouver father recently lost a case in BC Supreme Court, after he tried to stop his child from getting gender transition treatment.

The B.C. Appeal Court sided with the teenager, saying the father should try to understand his son’s gender dysphoria. Both the son and father’s names are under a publication ban.

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The father had originally went to court after he learned his female-born child was going through hormone therapy and wanted to stop him.

The BC Supreme Court sided with the 15-year-old in an earlier decision, saying the boy didn’t need his father’s consent for gender transition treatment.

The judge later added the father had a right to his own opinion. But if he tried to persuade his son against treatment, that is considered a form of family violence.

“This rupture is not in (the boy’s) best interests,” wrote Chief Justice Robert Bauman and Justice Barbara Fisher in their decision. “He clearly wants and needs acceptance and support from his father.”

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The ruling said the dad must acknowledge and refer to his child as a male and by the teen’s chosen name. They also insisted he engage with his son’s medical team and listen to the boy.

“If he fails to do these two things, the rupture in his relationship with (his son) will likely not heal.”

For more B.C. news, check out our News section.

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