Canadian transgender rights bill suffers legislative setback

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      An eight-year journey to have transgender rights included in Canadian anti-discrimination and hate laws just got longer.

      Bill C-279 would include transgender and gender variant Canadians in the Canadian Human Rights Act and protect them against discrimination. The proposed bill would also prohibit hate speech or the incitement of genocide on the basis of gender identity in the Criminal Code.

      However, the private member's bill, introduced by Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca NDP MP Randall Garrison, failed to make it to a final vote before the summer recess began last week.

      The House of Commons passed the bill on March 20, whereupon it went on to the Canadian Senate. 

      Critics such as Calgary MP Rob Anders have dubbed it the "Bathroom Bill". Anders argued that the bill's aim is to allow transgender men access to women's washrooms.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.

      Comments

      7 Comments

      Patricia

      Jul 7, 2013 at 9:25am

      Still no luck on Gender neutral washrooms? I'll pee in an alley if it means I get to not be genocided. :\

      Forest

      Jul 7, 2013 at 11:32am

      The "Bathroom Bill"? Really? Why oh why are mouth-breathers such as Rob Anders able to pollute our country's efforts at human rights legislation with his dirty-minded crudities? Guess we all better keep our eye out for Anders and his voyeuristic kicks next time we visit a public washroom.

      Homelike

      Jul 7, 2013 at 11:48am

      When he comments transgender men would use the women's bathroom he obviously has no concept on what truly being transgendered is about, does he mean biological men or women would want to use the women's wash room?

      Dianne

      Jul 7, 2013 at 5:08pm

      Do we really have to race to the bottom with such unhelpful/poorly thought through undeserving comments. The poo poo bathroom talk is typical for really young children, but for crying out loud, its time to grow up and ensure anti hate legislation for all Canadians, equality, and true social justice for all!

      The Facts

      Jul 7, 2013 at 6:27pm

      First of all let's get the terminology right. A biological Male who Transitions from the Male gender to the female gender is known as a Transgender Female,....they should not be reffered to as a Transgender Male,....... that moniker is reserved for Biological females who transition to male.
      Anonther thing that should be mentioned is male to female transgender individuals who are on female hormone & testosterone blockers have a low sex drive & some even have little interest in sex. Bob anders should educate himself first before he opens his Right wing biggoted yap.. Transgender people have enough hurdles to jump through in becoming their true selves, ..some of them dangerous...that the last thing they need is ignorance & uneducated comments from the Government.

      Celestiatem

      Jul 8, 2013 at 6:20pm

      It's pretty pathetic when governments won't fight for EQUALITY for EVERYONE. This is something we've been striving for over way too long a time frame. People are just starting to get off their high horses with the LG and B, can we figure out history and get T on board?

      brittany

      Aug 8, 2013 at 11:27pm

      hi everyone were to began. why is it so hard for trans people to fit in to this world i mean come on really we need to realize that we are all people and it shouldn't if your a male to female or the other way and you look like the gender your comfort with then why should it matter and the governments needs to change the transgender rights thats all i have to say for now oh and btw trans people are beautiful peace brothers and sisters