Cape Breton University to Host Film Screening on Trans Day of Visibility

 Cape Breton University will host a free screening of the documentary Heightened Scrutiny at the Boardmore Theatre on Tuesday, March 31, at 6:00pm. This screening, taking place on Trans Day of Visibility, serves as an important piece of the University’s commitment to providing a welcoming, safe environment for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

The event, organized by Cape Breton University’s Kate Krug, Assistant Professor of Sociology; Judy Kelley, Director of Health and Counselling; Karen Tobin, University Librarian; and Dr. Cynthia Conley, Director of the Department of Social Work, highlights a unified approach to student and community support. By showcasing diverse, collaborative initiatives, the staff and faculty at CBU aim to reinforce its message of inclusivity on campus and beyond.

“Authentically expressing one’s gender identity is so important to a person’s health and wellbeing. We support and provide gender affirming care because my staff and I, at the Nancy Dingwall Health and Counselling Centre, fundamentally and unequivocally believe that denying evidence-based best practice in healthcare based on misinformation is never appropriate,” says Kelley. “It is my hope that in supporting and promoting this documentary, we send a message to all current and future students, staff and faculty that we will support your right to be your authentic self and to assist you in accessing gender affirming care.”

The documentary follows civil rights lawyer Chase Strangio as he battles at the Supreme Court for transgender adolescents’ access to gender-affirming healthcare, confronting not only the legal system but also a media landscape that distorts public perception and threatens the struggle for trans rights. With the U.S. supreme court decision upholding the ban on life-saving healthcare, Heightened Scrutiny is an urgent call to action against bigotry and injustice.

Following the screening, all community members are invited to participate in a brief talk-back session. During this session, Dr. Catherine Bast, a local family physician with expertise in Gender Affirming Care, and their wife Mixhi, will discuss the film’s significance for Canadians interested in medicine, social work, law and public policy. They will also share the personal reasons behind their decision to relocate to Canada from the United States.

By actively championing 2SLGBTQ+ rights and providing a welcoming haven, CBU is uniquely positioned to attract students, faculty and professionals from across Canada and the world who are seeking a community where they can live, work and study authentically and without fear of discrimination. 

“As director of the Social Work Program at CBU, I want to remind our campus and community that progress and inclusion are never guaranteed and that we cannot grow complacent,” says Dr. Conley. “This film serves as a powerful caution about how quickly rights can be challenged or taken away, especially the right to live authentically without government intrusion. I strongly encourage students, staff, faculty and community members to attend the March 31st screening and reflect on what happens when fear, ignorance and nostalgia shape harmful policy.”

Through collaborative events like this screening, Cape Breton University continues to demonstrate that our campus is a destination where all students, staff and community members can find a true sense of belonging.