Trans support leader says Ontario PC decision to debate gender identity is 'dangerous'
The Ontario Tories agree to debate resolution on removing gender identity from sex-ed curriculum
Jayce Carver of W.E. Trans Support is calling for allies to "get loud" in response to what she calls a "dangerous" decision by Premier Doug Ford's government to consider the removal of gender identity from Ontario's sex-ed curriculum.
At the Ontario Progressive Conservative policy convention in Toronto on Saturday, the Tories agreed to debate a controversial resolution on the province's sex education curriculum at next year's convention.
A motion to consider the resolution proposed by former Tory leadership candidate Tanya Granic Allen was approved by members.
Granic Allen's resolution says the Tories should recognize gender identity as a "liberal ideology" and remove it from Ontario's sex-ed curriculum.
"I'm a breathing human being that exists," Carver said.
"I'm not an ideology. And neither are the rest of our community."
'Very afraid'
Party sources say that while the motion was passed, it is non-binding on the Ford government.
Carver says even debating this is in contravention of Ontario human rights laws.
"After the roll back of the sex-ed curriculum that's taken place, and now you see that they would like to remove gender identity and trans identities completely from the schools, it kind of shows the tone that this party is willing to take," she said.
"It makes organizations and communities like ours very afraid of what this is going to look like going forward."
The resolution was quickly condemned by Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.
I’m appalled that the Ford Conservatives would endorse a resolution that attacks trans people and their rights. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TransRightsAreHumanRights?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TransRightsAreHumanRights</a> in Ontario, and New Democrats stand with LGBTQ people against this dangerous position that drags our province backwards. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TransAwarenessWeek?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TransAwarenessWeek</a>
—@AndreaHorwathCarver said that support is important.
"We have to align ourselves with people who do see that the work that we're doing in the community is important, that it's saving lives."
'We need to fight this'
Carver said that policies like the one being proposed are dangerous, because it could make youth feel afraid that they can't exist in their own school systems.
"Transgender Day of Remembrance is on Tuesday and this is Trans Awareness week leading up to it, and we have a government currently in power that's trying to erase our identities," she said.
"That is scary."
She said she feels as though government is regressing and pushing back on all of the progress that has been made.
Carver invites members of the public to stop by the W.E. Trans Centre if they want to support the cause. She said she's going to start letter-writing campaigns and making phone calls to push back.
"We need to really get loud. We need to fight this. We need to not allow this to be the tone of the political party going forward. We need to make sure that our voices are heard. Trans people and allies need to get together and fight this."