Canadian unions just made progress for trans rights, and we need to get on their level

Sometimes it feels like all we see is bad news, which TBH, can be rough. We wanna stay involved in the world around us, obv, but boy it isn’t easy! So we’re always grateful to come across good news, and this news is pretty exciting! Because Canadian unions just made BIG progress for trans rights, and it’s really inspiring. We have so far to go for trans equality, but at least things are looking up, even if it’s all the way in Canada.

Now this is the trans-inclusive world we wanna live in! We’re so filled with hope right now.

According to the Canadian Labour Congress, a trans activist named Christin Milloy from Toronto has been fighting since 2011 to challenge the sex and gender identity information required on many forms, and having to somehow provide proof in order to change that information. It’s a brave fight, and a necessary one.

 Canadian Labour Congress Executive Vice-President Marie Clarke Walker said,

“What we see today is an important recognition by government that it is inappropriate to collect data about a person’s gender, unless there is a legitimate justification for its specific use. This is a key step forward for trans Canadians, who often struggle to have their gender identity recognized by government."

Clarke Walker continued,

“There is no reason why our government should continue to perpetuate transphobic discrimination by collecting unnecessary data on sex and gender. This is a significant step towards a future where trans Canadians are counted, but not labeled.

Like, yes. We couldn’t agree more, especially with that final statement. Here, no one is arguing that gender identity doesn’t matter, but that it should be handled the same way we handle other identities. Plus, this change means that there will be at least three gender options available at all times, which is a huge step for inclusion. Yay!

H/T Autostraddle