Ontario announces transgender rights policy in Sudbury
Transgender rights will be at the fore in Sudbury Tuesday afternoon, when Ontario's human rights commissioner will be in the city to release more information about the province's transgender rights policy.
Barbara Hall is expected to deliver the framework for that policy, which clarifies issues such as public washroom use.
The LGBQT program facilitator at the Sudbury Action Centre for Youth said he hopes the policy will give transgender people the same rights as everyone else.
“It means the world to me,” Vincent Bolt said.
“And I know that, for other trans people who are struggling and seeking acceptance, it's good to know at least there are people in government who recognize your right to exist.”
Gender expression and gender identity were recently included in Ontario's Human Rights Code.
The executive director of the Sudbury Action Centre for Youth says she expects the policy to spell out exactly how organizations and services should accommodate people who identify as transgender.
“So I think for them this is a landmark,” Catherine Savarie said.
“This is sort of freedom. And I think this is what the older population in the trans community … have been fighting for, for a number of years.”