Quebec tables bill to help transgender teens change their name, gender designation

Legislation aimed at fighting transphobia and allowing transgender youths as young as 14 the right to changetheir name and choose theirdesignated sex could be passed as early as next week, said Justice Minister Stphanie Valle.

Valle tabled Bill 103 Tuesdayafternoon.

The bill would amendthe Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms to provide explicit protection against discrimination based on gender identity.

It would also amendthe Civil Code to give more powers to transgenderyouths aged 14 or over to make their own decisions regarding their identity.

All parties said they wanted to go forward with this ... Now's the time to show it.- Quebec Justice Minister Stphanie Valle

The bill's tabling comes late in the spring legislative session, as MNAs are expected to break for the summer on June 10.

However, it comes on the heels of a private member's bill, tabled on May12byQubecSolidaireMNAManonMass, which calledfor such changes, and Valle noted all parties have committed to support the thrust of the legislation.

"So if they really meant it, now's the time to show it."

On heels of federal initiative

In several other provinces, includingBritish Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, it is already possible for minors to change their sex.

TheTrudeaugovernment has alsotabled legislation to guarantee legal and human rights protectionfor alltransgenderCanadians.

BillC-16would add the terms "gender identity" and "gender expression" to the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code.

Help for transgender teens

This issuewas pushed into the spotlight in Quebec recently, thanks to the storyof David James Lazure, a14-year-oldtransgenderhigh school student who left his school to be home-schooledbecause officials would not recognize his gender identity.

Every time you go to a place where you need to get an ID out, you have to explain, to justifywhatyou've got in your pants.- AnniePullenSansfaon, mother ofOlie, atransgenderteen

Lazure's McMasterville school refused to change his namefrom his birth name on official documents.

Right now,Quebec's Education Ministry has a permanent code for every student,which represents the student's name and sex. It can only be modified by the ministry not by a school.

That would change under this proposed legislation a change Annie Pullen Sansfaon, the mother of another transgender teen, says can't come quickly enough.

"We need that project urgently, so these children can start the school year in September with the right ID card," she said.

"Imagine you don't have ID that corresponds to who you are. That means that every time you go to a place where you need to get an ID out, you have to explain, to justify what you've got in your pants."