'We don't have to be scared': local residents welcome federal transgender rights bill
‘Historically we’ve been pretty invisible,’ local transgender rights public speaker says
Federal legislation that would guarantee legal and human rights protection to transgender people across the country is a big step in recognizing the rights of all Canadians, local residents say.
"For gender identity and gender expression to be explicitly notated in this kind of documentation is really important because then it says, people like us exist and we exist to the point where we're equal to other people," De Morton said. "Otherwise, it can be overlooked and historically we've been pretty invisible."
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Morton, who gives public talks on gender variance and identifies as gender queer, said similar private members bills have come before the Senate and died, so she's waiting for the bill to clear the Senate to celebrate.
A person who identifies as gender queer is anyone who doesn't identify as solely masculine or feminine – they may identify as not having a gender, or may move between genders, for example.
Morton thinks having a sitting government propose the legislation is a step in the right direction.
"I'm expecting this time it's actually going to go somewhere," she said, adding for people who are unclear on what the bill means, "Hopefully people are going to be asking the question well, what is that? And then educating themselves."
Discrimination happens 'all the time'
Morton said because there's a view held by the general public that gay, lesbian and transgender Canadians can exist openly without immediate fear of negative consequences, that everything is fine now and discrimination doesn't happen.
"It does. It very much does. All the time. Everywhere," Morton said.
Sheena Nowosielski has been transgender for 14 years and says she has experienced problems when going to use public washrooms. She was even nearly assaulted.
"I think everybody should be free to live their lives," she said. "I love it when it's more open because then we don't have to be scared to do what we want to do."
Nowosielski added she doesn't understand why previous bills have not been passed into law.
Improve access to health, social services
Alex Chunaco, president of the Tri-Pride Community Association which will be celebrating Pride Week starting Tuesday, said if the bill is passed, it will hopefully mean more access to health care services, more open access to social services and there will be an increase in programs.
"I feel this is a progressive step in the right direction in 2016. Considering that we're approaching Waterloo Region's Pride Week in a few weeks, this is some very good news from the Government of Canada and good news for equal human rights because at the end of the day, we're all people," he said. "I'm definitely excited, but I'm going to be much more excited when the bill goes through."
Cory Grant said he hopes the legislation will mean better access to doctors who can perform reassignment surgery. As well, he hopes it will mean changes to the medical system. Currently, Grant has problems calling into his doctor's office because his legal name is still a female name, so they won't talk to him.
"I have to get my mother to call for me," he said.
"I'm hoping that it actually goes through and that things start changing for the better, especially with surgeries and wait times," he said, adding there is only one doctor who Ontario residents can go to for reassignment surgery, and that doctor is in Montreal.
Start conversations
Morton is part of the Breaking the Silence on Hidden Violence working group in Waterloo Region that works towards changing the culture so hate crimes and incidents against people who identify as LGBTQ end – or at the very least that there's an increase in reporting those cases.
She said legislation like the federal Liberal's Bill C-16 will hopefully help foster that change in how some people think about transgender Canadians.
"Real change only comes when people embrace the ideas and embrace diversity and compassion and caring about other people and changing the way that they're thinking," Morton said.
"I'm hoping that now that the language is out there and that it's recognized that this is important, that that's going to have people start to have conversations and thinking and saying maybe this is different, maybe this is something that I should look into and know more about."