If you’re an ally of the LGBTQ2 community, it’s now more important than ever to show it, Pflag York Region president Michael Blackburn said in response to the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party’s passing of a resolution at its weekend convention that keeps the debate alive about whether or not it will recognize gender identity.
Blackburn said Pflag's local chapter works to support and protect everyone in its communities, no matter which government is in power.
He points to the Pflag Canada campaign called Have Your Say as an important because it gives LGBTQ2 friends, families and allies the chance to provide feedback on the Ontario government’s rollback of the sex-ed curriculum that strips out topics such as understanding of gender and sexual diversity, consent, and cyber-bullying.
“That’s what we’re urging people to do right now,” said Blackburn. “We want to make sure the stories and experiences from LGBTQ2 communities are heard.”
Saturday morning, the resolution known as R4 was proposed by ousted Tory candidate Tanya Granic Allen, whose own political ambitions were sidelined this spring by then-Party leader Doug Ford himself, who called Allen's inflammatory statements about gay marriage "irresponsible" and not representative of the Party's views.
The slide presenting the R4 resolution said gender identity theory is a “highly controversial, unscientific ‘liberal ideology’; and, as such, that an Ontario PC Government will remove the teaching and promotion of ‘gender identity theory’ from Ontario schools and its curriculum”.
The Ford government in August announced it would consult with people across the province to address concerns and get feedback in several areas of the education system, including building a new age-appropriate health and physical education curriculum that includes sexual health, mental health and the legalization of cannabis, as well as developing a first-ever Parents Bill of Rights. The consultation process closes Dec. 15.
Not long after the story broke, there was much concern expressed online from people who believed the resolution was slated to become government policy.
Former longtime Breakfast Television co-host Kevin Frankish fired off a series of tweets on his Twitter account, including: “To those who are struggling with gender identity...don’t feel shut out. Seek out people to talk to. You are a human being no matter what. You belong here. You have a right to be here. My heart goes out to you,” and, “You can either teach gender identity theory or you can teach hate. Pick one!”
Newmarket resident Dianne Wood, who runs the Facebook group Newmarket Votes, wrote, "The resolution was passed but it is non-binding on the Ford government and passing it means it will be debated more formally at next year's policy convention. Basically, I think they just voted for it to appease the social conservatives but will eventually ignore it."
The PC Party explained its position later Saturday morning.
“To be clear, the resolutions passed from the floor were passed only as debate items for next year’s convention. They were not passed as policy coming out of this convention. ...We are a Party that encourages open discussion and debate and giving the grassroots of our Party a voice”.
The Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code were amended in June 2017 to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. The Criminal Code amendment extends the protection against hate propaganda that is distinguished by gender identity and expression, and that a court must consider it an aggravating circumstance if the evidence shows the offence was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on gender identity or expression.
Pflag Canada, the national organization that represents more than 23 local chapters in Ontario alone, called the timing of the Tory resolution “unfortunate” for transgender and LGBTQ2 families.
It coincides with Trans Awareness Week, which runs from Nov. 12 to 19. The week memorializes victims of transphobic violence, as well as educates transgender and gender non-conforming people and the issues associated with their transition or identity.
“Pflag Canada is working to secure a well-rounded curriculum that reduces discrimination based on gender identity and aims at improving the well-being for all youths,” Pflag Canada president Bev Belanger said. “By dismissing the validity of gender identity, you are increasing the likelihood of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, as well as further mental health issues in schools.Trans and gender-diverse people in the province of Ontario deserve support from governing parties that are responsible for enacting public policies that shape our shared social environments.”
According to recent Canadian polls by the Trans Pulse Project, of those who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming, 77 per cent have seriously considered suicide and 43 per cent have attempted suicide. Trans students have reported that 87 per cent of them have felt unsafe in places at school.
The Have your Say results will be submitted in an official provincewide Pflag chapter submission to the Ontario government.
Fill out the questionnaire by Friday, Nov. 30 11:59 p.m.
For more information about Pflag York Region, including details on its monthly coffee nights in Richmond Hill and Aurora, visit here
~With files from Global News
