A legal challenge to Saskatchewan91裸聊视频檚 new law requiring parental consent if children under 16 want to change their names or pronouns at school is back in court this week. New Brunswick enacted a similar measure last year, and other provinces are looking at doing the same.

Lawyers representing UR Pride, an LGBT group in Regina, say the rule discriminates against youth who aren91裸聊视频檛 able to come out to their families. The Saskatchewan and New Brunswick governments have said they made the changes after hearing from many parents that they want them.

Saskatchewan used the notwithstanding clause, a rarely used provision that lets governments override Charter rights for five years, to prevent the court challenge from proceeding.

The Canadian Press sent reporters across the country to talk to parents about the issue.

Krystle Wilpert, Calgary

The mother of a four- and seven-year-old said children should have the choice when they are that little.

91裸聊视频淓ven with their name, sometimes they shorten their given name,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚f they are actually wanting to legally change it, then parents should be advised.

91裸聊视频淲hen they are this little, if you want to be known as she, they, he, that91裸聊视频檚 part of their identity, I think, and figuring out what they prefer.

91裸聊视频淚f you want to legally change it when you91裸聊视频檙e of age, that91裸聊视频檚 a different story.91裸聊视频�

Wilpert, who91裸聊视频檚 a teacher, said parents need to have strong relationships with their children.

91裸聊视频淚f the parents have a great relationship with the school and with their child, it probably wouldn91裸聊视频檛 be an issue.91裸聊视频�

She said it would be awkward if Alberta were to bring in a similar policy to Saskatchewan.

91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檙e a classroom teacher, having to phone a parent to say, 91裸聊视频業s it OK if I call your child they?91裸聊视频� It creates awkwardness and it doesn91裸聊视频檛 build that relationship that kids need to feel safe and secure when they are growing up.91裸聊视频�

Nicolas Brizard, Montreal

The father of girls age three, five, 10 and 12, said he hadn91裸聊视频檛 previously thought about whether parents should be notified 91裸聊视频� or asked for their consent 91裸聊视频� if children want to change their name or pronouns at school.

He said it91裸聊视频檚 not something that has been the subject of widespread debate in Quebec.

Brizard said young people start really searching for their identity around the age of 14, but the idea that they could change their name or gender identity without parental permission before the age of 16 91裸聊视频渋s a bit difficult.91裸聊视频�

Even if parental consent isn91裸聊视频檛 required, he said he thinks parents should be notified.

91裸聊视频淭hey don91裸聊视频檛 always have the necessary tools to make these decisions by themselves,91裸聊视频� Brizard said in French.

91裸聊视频淪ometimes they91裸聊视频檝e had bad experiences, sometimes good experiences, but it91裸聊视频檚 a major decision, so you need to have the necessary tools to reflect in order to make this change.91裸聊视频�

Angela Campbell, Rothesay, N.B.

Campbell said her child was assigned female at birth, but is now gender fluid and uses the pronoun they.

91裸聊视频淥nce puberty hit, they started experiencing anxiety and depression,91裸聊视频� said Campbell, whose child turns 20 this week.

91裸聊视频淚t took a long time to sort of get to the root of what was going on. It turned out to be gender identity was the root of the problem.91裸聊视频�

She said her child found support from teachers and guidance counsellors at school, and is grateful they were there.

School and teachers offer a practice run for the real world in a safe space, and changes made by New Brunswick remove that, she said.

91裸聊视频淚t would be wonderful and very utopian of us to think that home is always the safest place for children to be able to go and have these conversations, but that91裸聊视频檚 not the reality.91裸聊视频�

Jose Henriquez, Vancouver

The father said he would be supportive if one of his two sons wanted to use a different name or pronoun at school, but he would want to know about the change beforehand.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 my child. You know, we don91裸聊视频檛 own our kids, but we raise them up in the way that we think is right,91裸聊视频� said Henriquez, with his eight- and nine-year-old sons chatting together nearby.

91裸聊视频淚 think if they want to do something like that, they should come to the mom and dad first.91裸聊视频�

That91裸聊视频檚 especially true for younger children, Henriquez said.

91裸聊视频淲hen they91裸聊视频檙e really young like this, I don91裸聊视频檛 think they even know what they91裸聊视频檙e wanting,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淚f these guys are older, and he says to me something like that, then I91裸聊视频檝e got no choice, he can do what he wants.91裸聊视频�

Still, Henriquez said he91裸聊视频檇 want to be the first person to have that talk with his child.

91裸聊视频淎s a good parent, you support them because they91裸聊视频檙e your child and you love them, you know, and you don91裸聊视频檛 outcast them.91裸聊视频�

Jonathan Rambo, Toronto

The father of three strongly believes parental consent should be required before a student under 16 wishes to change their pronoun or gendered name.

He said children at that age aren91裸聊视频檛 developed enough to make those decisions for themselves.

91裸聊视频淭hey still haven91裸聊视频檛 reached that maturity level to be changing names,91裸聊视频� he said

Rambo has a daughter in Grade 10, a son in Grade 8, and a son in Grade 2 91裸聊视频� all ages at which they are still very impressionable, he said.

91裸聊视频淟ike, my daughter, from my experience, she is still going through a whole bunch of friends,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淪o if she gets with a group of friends, and they could say, 91裸聊视频極h let91裸聊视频檚 change our names,91裸聊视频� but later on she might outgrow that group of friends. It91裸聊视频檚 still not for sure if that91裸聊视频檚 what she91裸聊视频檚 going to want in the future. She91裸聊视频檚 still learning in life.91裸聊视频�

Rambo said that even if parents aren91裸聊视频檛 required to give consent, they should at least be informed when a child decides to use a different name or pronoun at school.

91裸聊视频淚 would like to know if my daughter changes her name. I could be calling her Heather and her name is Mary the next day. I think that91裸聊视频檚 a big joke. Let kids be young, let them get used to their name.91裸聊视频�

Amanda Stajniak, Glenavon, Sask.

Stajniak lives on a farm about 100 kilometres east of Regina and has children aged 11, nine, eight, four and two.

The mother said parents should be required to give consent if their children want to change their names or pronouns at school.

91裸聊视频淚 think parents should totally be involved, as much as possible in everything. I think it91裸聊视频檚 a good thing,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚f they are having any feelings, I want them to come to me first. They do spend a lot of time with the teachers, but I would hope that they would come to me first.91裸聊视频�

Stajniak said in her community, everyone knows each other.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not much of a big deal in smaller towns,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淓verybody kind of knows everybody91裸聊视频檚 stuff. If there91裸聊视频檚 any kids that are going through anything, the kids come home and tell us about it.91裸聊视频�

The mother said she didn91裸聊视频檛 think about pronouns or name changes before Saskatchewan implemented the parental consent requirement.

91裸聊视频淚 didn91裸聊视频檛 know someone could change their name at school. If my kids were being called something else, I would know, right?91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频� By Colette Derworiz in Calgary, Jacob Serebrin in Montreal, Hina Alam in Fredericton, Brenna Owen in Vancouver, Alex Gheciu in Toronto and Jeremy Simes in Regina

The Canadian Press