Two Canadian transgender musicians have canceled upcoming U.S. concert appearances, citing fears over President Donald Trump’s transgender policies, which reinforce a biological definition of sex. Their announcements arrive as the United Kingdom’s highest court ruled transgender women are not legally considered biological women under equality law.
Halifax-based trans non-binary artist T. Thomason recently pulled out of the All Roads Festival in Belfast, Maine, scheduled for May 16. In a statement, Thomason said he no longer feels safe crossing into the U.S. due to the Trump administration’s firm stance on biological sex recognition. “It doesn’t feel safe for me to go across the border into The States as a Canadian trans guy,” Thomason said in a video posted to Instagram.
Thomason added that the Trump administration’s position—which recognizes only male and female biological sexes—has had a chilling effect on transgender individuals working internationally, especially in creative industries like music.
Similarly, Toronto-based trans male singer-songwriter Bells Larsen announced the cancellation of six U.S. tour dates. Larsen pointed to visa restrictions as the reason, stating that U.S. immigration policies now require identification aligning with one’s biological sex at birth. “Because I’m trans (and have an M on my passport), I can’t tour in the States,” Larsen claimed in an Instagram post.
The U.K. Supreme Court’s ruling, issued April 16, reinforces this biological standard. The court ruled that for the purpose of gender parity on corporate boards, only biological women count as women. The case originated in Scotland, where certain equality policies required a 50/50 gender split on company boards. The court clarified that transgender women are not legally recognized as biological women in such legal frameworks.
Despite their vocal opposition to U.S. policy, neither Thomason nor Larsen commented on the British ruling, which aligns more closely with the biological sex definitions now upheld under President Trump’s administration.
The Trump administration has consistently supported traditional gender definitions, opposing measures that blur the lines between male and female in legal, educational, and immigration contexts. This return to clarity on sex-based distinctions has garnered strong support from conservative and Christian communities that value biological integrity and the biblical understanding of gender.
