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We have just been contacted by Patricia Hluchy, Team Editor of the Features Unit at the Toronto Star, who is overseeing a story on individuals who are taking up non-binary identities and existences. According to Patricia:
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“The people were are hoping to interview are those who, whether conventionally sexed or intersex, do not feel comfortable — for whatever reason — with being streamlined into the sex categories of ‘Male’ or ‘Female’. The article will be about the limits of these sex-based categories, but also the fact that some people are opting out of either.”
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“The premise / approach of the article (to be shaped by interviews with some leading gender theoreticians / academics) will be: We have this binary sex = gender belief system, but many experts say it’s a social construct and that gender identity is way more complicated. And now, as our society continues to evolve into a less sex-determinist one (thanks in part to gay activism and the decline of homophobia), some pioneers — both academic and ‘on the street’ — are saying, ‘Enough of the gender straightjackets already'”
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“The article will also include the fact that a few countries allow individuals to check a category other than ‘Male’ or ‘Female’ on their passports; and we will try to interview Tony Briffa, a city counsellor and former mayor in Australia who is intersex and genderless.”
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“It would be great if — just for the authenticity factor — someone were willing to be photographed and to use their name. But that is not essential.”

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Indeed, I have chatted at length with Patricia and can attest that they are highly knowledgeable about the nuances of ‘sex’ vis-a-vis ‘gender’, and in particular the real-life implications of defining ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ in binarist terms.
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If you are interested in being interviewed for this article, please contact Patricia at phluchy@thestar.ca or at 416-869-4352. Feel free to indicate if you prefer to be interviewed in writing as opposed to verbally / live.
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Towards greater visibility and awareness,
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Martin Otarola
Queer Ontario Secretary
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Queer Ontario has the opportunity to attend and send a written submission to a Ministry of Labour consultation on Integrated Health and Safety in Ontario as a partner with the Ontario Common Front (OCF). This is an important project for us because one of the Ministry’s priorities is to focus on vulnerable workers and individuals performing precarious work. Yet, to date, LGBTQ people have not been identified as a group susceptible to vulnerable and/or precarious work. Therefore, we would like to get your feedback with respect to what we should include in our written submission.
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Share your stories, insights, suggestions, and recommendations with us, which we will  incorporate into our feedback on the Ministry of Labour’s “Integrated Health and Safety Strategy.” We will need your feedback by Monday, April 8, 2013 at 6:00 PM, to allow us time to prepare QO’s report.  You can submit your feedback to info@queerontario.org
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We look forward to your input!
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The Queer Ontario Steering Committee
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Note: A few examples listed by OCF as vulnerable workers and/or individuals performing precarious work are:

• young workers;
• immigrants;
• Aboriginal peoples;
• older workers;
• those new to their jobs or working for new businesses;
• temporary foreign and seasonal workers;
• workers holding multiple part-time, low-paying jobs;
• workers involved in temporary employment;
• women;
• older/senior workers; or
• injured or disabled workers.

The factors the OCF lists as contributing to worker vulnerability are:

• individuals not knowing their rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
• a lack of job or hazard-specific experience or training;
• the fear of reprisal, including job-loss, for exercising their rights or raising occupational health and safety concerns;
• the threat of deportation;
• English not being first language;
• workers being forced to work in the underground economy  i.e. no records being  “paid cash”;
• workers being asked to do work they cannot physically or psychologically do because of a disability or injury; and
• ‘sweat shop’ model or mentality.

Feel free to list any additional groups or factors in your feedback.
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