Change of sex at the civil status "I have heard the criticisms and I take note of it",
says Jolin-Barrette
(Quebec) Simon Jolin-Barrette says he is "very open to finding a way forward" to ensure that the trans community, which criticizes provisions deemed "transphobic" in Bill 2, "feels comfortable" with the government's proposal for sex change in civil status.
"I have heard the criticism and I take note of it. I'm going to think about all this, but I can really tell you that I'm in solution mode to make the LGBTQ community [and] the trans community feel comfortable with all this,"
the justice minister said Tuesday during a brief press scrum in Quebec City.
Since last week, the Legault government has been defending amendments to the Civil Code proposed as part of the imposing Bill 2. He wants to impose again on Quebecers who change the sex on their civil status documents (such as the birth certificate)
that they undergo, to do so, a permanent genital surgery.
In return, Québec proposes to allow citizens who request it to add a gender identity to their documents (male, female or non-binary). This new information would not contradict the mention of sex, for example if a trans person who has not undergone genital surgery, but who identifies with a gender opposite to his sex declared at birth, wishes to modify his documents. In such an eventuality, the sex designation would be removed to include only gender identity, the minister said.
the justice minister said Tuesday during a brief press scrum in Quebec City.
Since last week, the Legault government has been defending amendments to the Civil Code proposed as part of the imposing Bill 2. He wants to impose again on Quebecers who change the sex on their civil status documents (such as the birth certificate)
that they undergo, to do so, a permanent genital surgery.
In return, Québec proposes to allow citizens who request it to add a gender identity to their documents (male, female or non-binary). This new information would not contradict the mention of sex, for example if a trans person who has not undergone genital surgery, but who identifies with a gender opposite to his sex declared at birth, wishes to modify his documents. In such an eventuality, the sex designation would be removed to include only gender identity, the minister said.
"The government's desire is to include as many Quebecers as many Quebecers as they as they can express themselves," Jolin-Barrette said Tuesday. He recalled that these proposed changes to the Civil Code were in response to a recent Judgment of the Superior Court that invalidated sections deemed discriminatory against trans and non-binary people.
"This is the first time in Quebec legislation that the notion of gender has been inserted. It had never been done, it is a step forward to ensure that people can express themselves according to their gender identity on their [documents] of the civil status, "justified the Minister of Justice.
Petition launched
In recent days, trans rights groups have reiterated that the community wants to keep a right acquired in 2015 to change the sex on their civil status documents without performing surgery. Trans people do not want to be required to fall back on a gender identity mention, which Quebec is proposing, saying that it would be tantamount to imposing a forced coming out, since only trans people would request it.
La Presse reported Tuesday that organizations that defend the rights of trans people or offer them support have been receiving a growing volume of calls since the Legault government introduced a bill that would once again make sex change in civil status dependent on genital surgery. The Conseil québécois LGBT has also launched a petition to challenge MPs.
"The bill wants to take us back in time, again requiring these people to undergo [surgery] to get the right to be respected for who they are. They will then have to keep the birth assignment that does not correspond to their identity, which stigmatizes them and makes them subject to many violence and discriminations, in addition to causing great suffering and distress, "it is said.
"This is the first time in Quebec legislation that the notion of gender has been inserted. It had never been done, it is a step forward to ensure that people can express themselves according to their gender identity on their [documents] of the civil status, "justified the Minister of Justice.
Petition launched
In recent days, trans rights groups have reiterated that the community wants to keep a right acquired in 2015 to change the sex on their civil status documents without performing surgery. Trans people do not want to be required to fall back on a gender identity mention, which Quebec is proposing, saying that it would be tantamount to imposing a forced coming out, since only trans people would request it.
La Presse reported Tuesday that organizations that defend the rights of trans people or offer them support have been receiving a growing volume of calls since the Legault government introduced a bill that would once again make sex change in civil status dependent on genital surgery. The Conseil québécois LGBT has also launched a petition to challenge MPs.
"The bill wants to take us back in time, again requiring these people to undergo [surgery] to get the right to be respected for who they are. They will then have to keep the birth assignment that does not correspond to their identity, which stigmatizes them and makes them subject to many violence and discriminations, in addition to causing great suffering and distress, "it is said.
HUGO PILON-LAROSE
THE PRESS
Change of sex in civil status| "I've heard the criticism and I take note of it," Jolin-Barrette said | The Press (lapresse.ca)
THE PRESS
Change of sex in civil status| "I've heard the criticism and I take note of it," Jolin-Barrette said | The Press (lapresse.ca)