P.E.I. trans and non-binary community wary of going to U.S. while Trump is president
‘You could be thrown in jail,’ says Islander in a relationship with someone in the States
Some members of the trans and non-binary communities in Prince Edward Island are growing increasingly concerned about travelling to the United States after President Donald Trump took office in January.
On the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order stating that the U.S. government would recognize only two sexes: male and female.
Four months later, Anastasia Preston, the trans community outreach co-ordinator at PEERS Alliance, said the order has created a sense of fear and uncertainty for many trans and non-binary people on the Island when it comes to crossing the border into the U.S.
"It was a surreal kind of experience that morning — one of both, like, expecting there to be changes coming, and also one of dread because I do have people down in the U.S. that I can no longer see," Preston said, recalling the moment she heard about the executive order.
"[The] Canada-U.S. border — as long as I've been alive — is one that you could just walk across, and now you can't cross it, because you could be thrown in jail, especially for trans people."
Some countries have recently issued advisories warning residents who are transgender or non-binary or hold third-gender passports about potential challenges when travelling to the U.S. These countries have advised their citizens that U.S. authorities may deny entry if the gender on their passport doesn't match their birth sex.
In Canada, federal guidance on travel to the United States is still to "take normal precautions" — but the government last month updated its online travel advice to remind Canadians to "expect scrutiny" from border patrol officers if they travel to the United States.
'It really affects people's mental health'
Preston, who is in a relationship with someone in the U.S., said the policy change is more than just political; it's personal.
"Long-distance relationships are always hard, and it makes it infinitely harder to have those relationships. And it does break up people, families, when you can't cross these land borders, right? My deepest fear is... actually not about my ability to travel there, but their ability to travel.
"As somebody who has a political studies background and has studied dictatorships and genocides for decades on my own, it's a real fear… This is what authoritarian governments do… First, they attack a specific group, and then they block other people from leaving the country."
For now, her advice to community members is simple: Avoid travelling to the U.S.
"That is not just for the queer community," she said.
Preston pointed to reports of foreigners, including Canadians, being held up at the U.S. border as officials strengthen security following Trump's pledge to crack down on immigration.
For trans and non-binary individuals, Preston said the impact can be far-reaching, not just in terms of travel, but when it comes to health-care access and mental well-being.
"It makes people fearful of not just, like, will their rights be infringed on, but will their medication be available? Will they be able to get the surgeries that they need? Will they be able to connect with the family and friends that they've made online?
"It really affects people's mental health."
With files from Island Morning