Home > Releases > Queer Ontario Urges Protection of Trans People in Human Rights Legislation

Queer Ontario Urges Protection of Trans People in Human Rights Legislation

June 4th, 2010

Toronto: Queer Ontario strongly supports the inclusion of the terms “gender identity” and “gender expression” in human rights legislation as tabled in private members bills brought forth by NDP MP Bill Siksay at the federal level and NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo at the provincial level in Ontario. The extension of human rights protections to Canadians who do not base their gender identity or expression solely on their innate biological gender is long overdue, given they are one of the most disenfranchised and oppressed populations in the country.

Queer Ontario urges that all MPs support Siksay’s Bill-389 that would include “gender identity” and “gender expression” in both the Canadian Human Rights Act and Hate Crimes Provisions. Similarly, Queer Ontario calls upon all MPPs in the Ontario provincial legislature to support DeNovo’s private member’s bill known as Toby’s Act that would include “gender identity” as an enumerated ground in the Ontario Human Rights Code. Queer Ontario also urges organizations and residents across Ontario and Canada to support these legislative amendments to prectect trans people from harassment and discrimination.

“It is incomprehensible why one of the most discriminated populations in the country and Ontario has yet to be recognized in human rights legislation. Marginalized at every turn, from housing to employment, from health care to public safety, the inclusion in human rights legislation of trans Canadians and others who identify with and express their gender beyond the strictly biological, is long overdue”, states Queer Ontario spokesperson and founder, Nick Mulé. He adds, “It is through the strength, perseverance and determination of the trans communities that these private members bills have come forth. If passed, such legislation will not only provide the human rights recognition and protection trans people need and deserve, but help to educate the public to be more accepting of them as part of our highly diversified nation.”

The work of the Trans Human Rights Campaign and others is fully supported by Queer Ontario in bringing these much needed pieces of legislation forward and seeing through their passage as important contributions to human rights development in Canada and the province of Ontario.

Queer Ontario is a provincially based network of individuals who are members of the gender and sexually diverse populations and their allies committed to liberationist and sex positive principles that focus on questioning, challenging and seeking reform to social norms and laws that regulate queer people. Queer Ontario engages in public education, political action, promoting access and diversity and coalition building.
 

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