Canadian trans musicians cancel U.S. shows citing fear and policies targeting gender identity

Toronto singer-songwriter Bells Larsen and Halifax pop artist T. Thomason have both announced today that they are cancelling their U.S. tour dates and a festival appearance, respectively, due to safety concerns and visa policies that discriminate against trans artists.

"I received an email on Tuesday from the American Federation of Musicians stating that I am no longer able to apply for a visa because U.S. Immigration now only recognizes identification that corresponds with one's assigned sex at birth," Larsen posted on Instagram. "To put it super plainly, because I'm trans (and have an M on my passport), I can't tour in the States."

Larsen has had to cancel six tour dates following the upcoming release of his sophomore album, Blurring Time, which was crafted to follow Larsen's transition, harmonizing the artist's pre- and post-transition voice.

"This is indescribably gutting," wrote singer-songwriter Georgia Harmer, who worked on Blurring Time, on Larsen's Instagram post. "I'm so sorry this is happening right when people need the healing power of your songs more than ever. I love you so much. Standing with you. Got your back forever."

"This is absolutely horrific and incredibly unfair. I'm so, so sorry that this is happening to you," wrote rapper Cadence Weapon. "All the best to you on your Canadian dates and hope to see you again soon."

Thomason was scheduled to play Maine's All Roads Festival in May, but posted in a video on Instagram today that although he has a current visa until June — given to him before U.S. President Donald Trump took office — he doesn't feel safe going across the border "as a Canadian trans guy."

"I just don't feel like it's worth the risk," Thomason said.

Trump declared in his inaugural address on Jan. 20 that "it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female," and swiftly issued executive orders and changes to the government's policies on gender and diversity. Those would include Secretary of State Marco Rubio's memo titled "Guidance for Visa Adjudicators on Executive Order 14201: 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports,'" which encompassed the directive that "all visas must reflect an applicant's sex at birth."

With increasing reports of people being detained by ICE or refused entry into the States, more and more artists are reconsidering tours over U.S. border detention fears — including Neil Young.

"When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J. Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket," the dual Canadian-American citizen said recently. 

Larsen revealed in his Instagram post that he's been undecided for weeks as to whether he should follow through with his U.S. tour dates. "If random people are getting randomly questioned/stopped/detained at borders, how can I — as someone wanting to make money abroad by exhibiting my lived experience as a trans person — expect to pass go and get out of jail free?" he wrote. "This new policy has crushed my dreams. I'm cradling a very broken heart and the realization that I don't know if or when I will be able to tour in the States again."

In his cancellation announcement, Thomason mentioned Larsen's news, and pointed to the wider effects this discrimination will have on Canadian trans artists.

"The U.S. is a huge market, there's a lot of weight put on being able to break into that market," he said. "There's a lot of record labels and managers who really look to that as a benchmark of viability and success with an artist. And if you're an artist that is legally not able to get into the U.S., that's a huge hit to your career."

"I think we really need to see support from the industry right now," he continued, "and we need to be shown by our community, or music community in Canada, this is not OK, and they're not gonna let trans artists be forgotten and just be sort of a brief headline and then everybody moves on and we deal with the consequences and ripple effects by ourselves. I really, really hope that we're not gonna let that happen."