Canadian Gender Report
Canadian Gender Report is a Canadian nonprofit organization of parents and professionals, founded by Pamela Buffone and supported by volunteers. The group is concerned about the medical transition of children, lessons on gender identity in schools, and the replacement of biological sex with self-identification in legislation and policy.
What you can find
The website contains articles, background notes, and position statements, arranged in categories such as detransition, education, ethics, healthcare, policy, and research. It also features articles about complaints to medical regulators and resources for parents who want to raise concerns with schools or gender clinics.
Why it is on this list
The organization says it bases its work on research and is not affiliated with religious or political movements. It remains an advocacy group with a critical perspective, not a research institute. The site is particularly useful for following the Canadian situation; see gender care in Canada, the article on gender-affirming care in Quebec, and policy by country.
Complaints and campaigns
Canadian Gender Report does more than publish articles. According to the page about the organization, the group filed a complaint with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario about advertising on social media, as well as complaints about the way gender clinics operate, with SickKids Hospital as a detailed example. The site also reports on a case before Ontario’s human rights tribunal, which was dismissed in March 2022, and calls on readers to send letters to members of parliament. The articles also include a letter to the Canadian Pediatric Society and the Alberta Medical Association.
Comparison with Europe
A recurring theme is the comparison between Canada and European countries. The site contrasts Canadian policy with that of Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the United Kingdom—countries that have revised or are reconsidering their approach to minors. An article dated May 5, 2021, describes Sweden’s change of course, and on April 10, 2024, the group discussed the final report of the Cass Review as a new benchmark for Canada. Separate sections address mental health problems that occur alongside gender dysphoria, puberty blockers in Canada, and the difference between WPATH guidelines and independent evidence reviews.
How to assess this source
The articles on the site do not name their authors, and the organization does not identify its funders. It asks for donations and says it operates with volunteers. Anyone using the articles would do well to look up the studies and reports cited for themselves. The selection is focused on arguments against the gender-affirming approach. As a gateway to Canadian documents, complaint procedures, and parents’ experiences, the site is useful; as a balanced overview of the scientific state of knowledge, it is not.