Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Tech Style & Beauty Kitchen & Dining Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaCanadians who think people should express gender however they choose on decline: surveyThe majority of Canadians still support people expressing their gender however they choose, despite the decline You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Support for people's right to express their gender however they choose has declined among both women and men since 2018. Photo by tomap49 /Getty Images/iStockphotoA recent survey has revealed that fewer Canadians support people being able to express their gender however they choose compared to eight years ago.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe findings, published in Statistics Canada’s Juristat, were based on self-reported data from the 2018 and 2025 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces (SSPPS). The survey examined how attitudes toward gender-related issues have changed over time.When it came to gender expression, women were more likely than men to agree with statements supporting people’s rights to gender expression.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againIn 2025, 77 per cent of women and 70 per cent of men agreed that people should be able to express their gender however they choose. Women were also more likely to say they would support a family member if they came out as transgender (77 per cent compared to 65 per cent).However, support for people’s right to express their gender however they choose has declined among both women and men since 2018.The percentage of women who agreed that people should have this right decreased from 85 per cent to 77 per cent, while support among men dropped from 78 per cent to 70 per cent.The StatCan survey doesn’t examine the potential causes behind the decline, but notes that the changes in attitude coincide with “a period of animated public discourse” surrounding the rights of transgender and non-binary people.While the federal government has expanded recognition of these rights in recent years, including through the $100-million 2022 Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, some provinces have enacted their own policies on gender expression in schools, sports and health care.In 2023, Saskatchewan passed legislation requiring parental consent for students to use their affirmed names or pronouns at school instead of those assigned at birth. In 2025, Alberta used the notwithstanding clause to prevent transgender girls from participating in female sports and prohibit doctors from prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy for those under 16.StatCan also notes “an increasingly vocal public discourse which aims to legitimize transphobic perspectives has been observed by some” in the years since 2018.At the same time, 2024 data from StatCan showed that hate crimes targeting gender identity or expression increased for the fourth consecutive year. These types of crimes almost tripled, rising 184 per cent between 2020 and 2024.Meanwhile, the survey found that support for diverse gender expression among people aged 15 to 24 was especially high among women, at 82 per cent, but significantly lower among men in the same age group, at 68 per cent.Views on gender expression also varied by education level, with support highest among respondents who had completed university. Among university graduates, 81 per cent of women and 74 per cent of men supported the right to gender expression.Elsewhere, a larger proportion of First Nations women (82 per cent) than non-Indigenous women (77 per cent) supported people’s right to express their gender. Support was also generally higher among people born in Canada than among those born abroad.The survey found that 80 per cent of women and 71 per cent of men born in Canada agreed that individuals should be able to express their gender however they choose, compared to 70 per cent of women and 67 per cent of men born elsewhere.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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