In February, a Canadian court ruled that 14-year-old Maxine* could receive male hormone injections without parental consent. The judge declared that the teen was entitled to treatment based on gender dysphoria, which her parents’ opinions could not dictate.
“Attempting to persuade [Maxine] to abandon treatment for gender dysphoria; addressing [Maxine] by his birth name; referring to [Maxine] as a girl or with female pronouns whether to him directly or to third parties; shall be considered to be family violence under s. 38 of the Family Law Act,” the judge firmly ruled on February 27.
Maxine’s father, Clark*, was both disheartened and infuriated by the ruling that stripped him of his parental rights.
“They’re using [Maxine] like she’s a guinea pig in an experiment,” he said. “Is BC Children’s Hospital going to be there in [five] years when she rejects [her male identity]? No, they’re not. They don’t care. They want numbers.”
“We’re gonna fight this right up to the Supreme Court of Canada,” Clark added. “We’re not quitting.”
The father explained that just months before her decision to receive male hormone injections, Maxine was depressed and showing indications of emotional instability. She was also acting out sexually, including testing the waters as a lesbian for a period of time.
Clark has refused to accept that his daughter is anything other than her God-given identity: female. And now, his refusal to refer to Maxine as a male has landed him with a convicted charge of “family violence.”
Justice Francesca Marzari of the Supreme Court of British Columbia expressed she was displeased with Clark for continuing to reference his daughter as his “daughter” in the media.