OTTAWA – While general levels of acceptance and access to services have improved for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada, homophobia, biphobia, intersexism and transphobia are still rampant and oppressive, the interim Green Party Leader Amita Kuttner said today.
“Anti-trans hate is on the rise all over the world, driven by far-right ideology and organizations,” said Dr. Kuttner, the primary transgender person to steer a national political party in Canada. “It isn’t as recognized as other types of hate; education around trans people is so minimal that even major instances of transphobia aren’t noticed, and are sometimes defended.”
Speaking on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, Dr. Kuttner said: “From a private lived perspective as an intersectionally marginalized person, the anti-trans hatred is open and unabashed, consistently more brazen than the micro-aggressions and implicit bias problems around my other identities, and general issues with cis and heteronormativity.
“We do not talk enough about trans joy. Being trans is an exquisite experience. The entire negative experiences so often discussed – the suicides, the misery – are because of systemic problems and hatred.”
Dr. Kuttner called on the federal government to determine everlasting funding for the LGBTQ Secretariat and put money into 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations to combat gender-based violence. “Canada needs a national strategy to handle gender-based hate preemptively, before it escalates right into a movement succeeding at removing our hard won rights,” they said. “We have now strategies for combating other types of hate – this ought to be no different.”
Green Party parliamentary leader Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands) said: “On this International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, I’m deeply aware that too many individuals still are exposed to hate and discrimination due to who they’re. Those of us who aren’t a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community must stand in solidarity with those that are marginalized and abused.”
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