Trans activist says Humans Rights Code amendment will go far

A Vancouver trans activist says new legislation introduced in B.C. to amend the province's Human Rights Code to explicitly protect gender identity or expression will go far in educating people and institutions.

"Pretty soon, in a few years, everybody who's gone through school will have learned about gender identity and gender expression because that will have been taught as part of the Human Rights Code," said Morgane Oger, who chairs the Trans Alliance Society and sits on the B.C. NDP executive.

• B.C. introduces bill to protect transgender people
• Government to amend B.C. Human Rights Code to protect gender rights

The B.C. Liberals introduced the legislation in the B.C. legislature on July 25, days before the Pride festivities kicked off in Vancouver.

Vancouver-West End New DemocratMLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, who tried to have protection for gender identity added to the B.C. Human Rights Code for several years, previously told CBC News he plans to support the government legislation.

Oger told Our Vancouver host Gloria Macarenko that she believes the legislation will lead to more institutions and organizations having to become educated about gender identity or expression and learn that those are human rights that must be protected.

"All of the HR departments they will have ramped up their policy and their inclusion systems to make sure they're compliant with the law," she said.

"Just like today we understand you can't fire a woman who is pregnant, or if she might be pregnant, or you can't make homophobic jokes at work people will understand that you can't make a transphobic joke or you can't police the clothing style of somebody."

Oger said she believes that change will come to police forces as well.

"Over time the labour force coming into the police departments across B.C. will have been exposed to this as an explicit protection."

In the video above Oger explains what the implications of this new legislation are to host Gloria Macarenko on Our Vancouver.