B.C. Supreme Court judge orders father not to disclose transgender teen's identity to media or anyone else

The only exceptions are to the court and lawyers involved in the proceedings

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      There may have never been an application like this before B.C. Supreme Court.

      A 14-year-old transgender boy sought a protection order to prohibit his father from "publishing, speaking or giving interviews about this case or about [the boy's] personal and medical condition".

      The teen also sought an order preventing his father "from sharing related documents or information with other persons, including media and social media organizations, who might publish that information".

      The father does not accept the boy's chosen gender identity.

      In an April 15 decision, Justice Francesca Marzari ruled in the boy's favour, granting an order restraining the father from attempting to persuade the teen to abandon treatment for gender dysphoria. 

      The judge stated that the father's sharing of private information "has exposed his child to degrading and violent public commentary"—and that the father was promoting his "own interests above those of his child".

      Marzari also concluded that the father's "expressions of rejection" of the boy's gender identity "constitutes family violence".

      "Furthermore those persons and social media organizations, with knowledge of the Court’s previous orders, have continued to misgender [the boy] and to publish degrading and violent comments about [the boy]," Marzari wrote.

      She also noted that the father "has also expressed a hope that additional news outlets might also cover 'his' story". 

      In addition, the order restrains the father from addressing the boy by his birth name and referring to him as a "girl with female pronouns".

      Moreover, the father is prohibited from "directly or indirectly through an agent or third party" from publishing or sharing information or documentation about the boy's sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental or physical health, or therapies.

      The only exceptions are to the court, his lawyer, and lawyers representing the boy and his mother.

      Marzari noted in her decision that the boy's mother supports his chosen gender identity.

      The ruling did not identify the boy or his parents.

      An earlier court ruling allowed the boy to change his legal name on his birth certificate and change his gender pursuant to the Vital Statistics Act without the consent of his parents.

      The father has appealed that decision.

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