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AGIR Campaign Launch: Justice for trans migrants

AGIR Campaign Launch: Justice for trans migrants

Press release Please forward to your networks  

Justice for trans migrants! YES to legal recognition!

“I’m embarrassed and worried everytime I have to show my identity documents. I never know if services that I need will be accepted or refused or if the person who is seeing my identity documents will be transphobic and violent. I’ve had to fight to survive my entire life in my country of origin. In coming to Quebec, I never thought that I would have to fight to survive here too” –  trans migrant woman

To this day, the Quebec government does not allow trans migrants (i.e. permanent residents, refugee claimants, protected persons, international students, temporary workers, etc.) to change their gender marker and name on identity documents (ID). In fact, it is the ONLY province in Canada that requires trans migrants to be Canadian citizens to legally change their sex designation and name. After over a year of mobilizing by trans migrants, an opposition government party submitted bill 895 on May 17th in the Quebec legislature so that trans migrants living in Quebec would be able to change their sex designation and name. Join us by urging the government to pass this bill this fall 2017.   

We denounce discriminatory laws against trans migrants! Stop government sanctioned violence against trans migrants! YES to trans migrants having proper ID! YES to legal recognition and dignity for trans migrants!

Action LGBTQ avec les immigrantes et les réfugiés (AGIR), with the endorsement of Arc-en-ciel d’Afrique, Action santé travesti(e)s et transsexuel(le)s du Québec (ASTT(e)Q), Centre for Gender Advocacy, Center for research-action on race relations (CRARR), Conseil LGBT, Fédération des Femmes du Québec (FFQ), Head & Hands, Paroles des femmes, Project 10, Solidarity Across Borders (SAB) denounces that the Quebec government still has not changed the law to allow trans migrants to change their gender marker and name.

We urge the Quebec government pass Bill 895 during this upcoming fall session!

Here are some concrete actions that you can take: 

  1. Forward this Press Release to your networks
  2. Sign the online petition: https://www.change.org/p/ministre-justice-gouv-qc-ca-justice-for-trans-migrants-in-quebec-pass-bill-895
  3. Keep posted about the state of the campaign by signing the petition or sending us a message at justicetransmigrantes@gmail.com. We will add you to a mailing list and send you updates. There will be more campaign actions in the months leading up to Montreal PRIDE and into this fall.  

Key weblinks:

Context: 

On May 17th, the International day against homophobia and transphobia, an opposition party presented a bill in the Quebec legislature so that trans migrants living in Quebec can change their sex designation and name. On the same day, ironically, the government also presented a 5 year action plan to combat homophobia and transphobia with no mention of issues facing trans migrants. This bill was presented after over a year of trans migrants and their allies speaking out against how Quebec is the only province in Canada that still requires trans people to be citizens in order to change their gender marker and name on their ID.

This mobilizing is part of many years of intersecting struggles for justice for trans people and migrants. This includes organizations like ASTT(e)Q and AGIR supporting trans migrants who are undocumented, incarcerated and/or facing deportation.

In 2013, for example, the Centre for Gender Advocacy and the Clinique Juripop sued the Quebec government in order to eliminate the restrictions in Article 71 of the Quebec civil code that allowed sex designation and name changes only for trans people who were citizens, those over 18 and had completed sex change surgery. After continued mobilizing, the Quebec government subsequently amended Article 71 to make it easier for trans people to change their sex designation and name without having to undergo surgery or be over 18.

However, Article 71 still includes a citizenship requirement, making Quebec the ONLY province to require trans people to be citizens in order to be able to change their sex designation and name. This results in differential treatment and life opportunities for trans migrants based on their immigration status and gender identity and expression.

Passing Bill 895 will not stop trans migrants, especially those who are racialized, from facing intersecting forms of racism, transphobia, poverty, etc. It does not stop the deportation of trans migrants or the criminalization of trans people and migrants who are sex workers and/or HIV positive. But it will be one step in eliminating state sanctioned discrimination and towards dignity and justice for trans migrants.