“Talk to us about love. Talk to us about respect. And especially if you don’t understand, talk to us… ”
It is with these words that Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay concluded her poignant Manifesto of the trans woman.
It was three years ago to the day, on the Imperial stage in Quebec. As part of the Disobedient Cabaret, the writer and actress had delivered with emotion a moving text inspired by the experiences of transphobia that she underwent during her transition.
When the doctor calls you by your old name over the loudspeakers of the CLSC.
When commentators who know nothing about your reality publish tea towels “to wipe off the suffering of others”.
When suicidal thoughts become overwhelming …
“On the surface, one might perhaps think that these elements are not violent,” she told me. But for trans people, it’s everyday. It is a heavy load to carry. ”
Over time, the burden eases. Strong words like those of Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay and other public figures, activists for the rights of trans people, have been released.
Thanks to their voice, the company progresses. Transphobia is on the decline. At least we hope so.
Thanks to their courage, mentalities are changing. The laws, too. At least we hope so.
In short, collectively, we are moving forward. This does not mean that we are immune to clumsiness and setbacks disguised as advances.
This is what Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay noted with amazement when she learned, a few days ago, through a lawyer friend, of article 23 of Bill 2 of the Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette. A family law reform project that aims to be progressive, but which has been denounced as a step backwards for trans people.
Read our article
And for good reason. Article 23 indicates in black and white that the government wants to make the change of sex in civil status dependent on genital surgery – a requirement that was abolished in Quebec in 2015.
It is estimated that only a third of trans people undertake this kind of operation. For others, if the bill is adopted as is, the consequences will be disastrous, we fear. In the absence of an operation, it will be the humiliation of a coming out strength.
In an open letter to the Legault government, co-signed by trans and non-binary artists and activists, Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay calls for this discriminatory article to be removed from the bill.
“We ask that our community be consulted on any future legislation that has a direct impact on our lives. We demand that our fundamental rights be respected. We find it horrifying that our dignity is attacked by the recklessness of uninformed politicians ”
Read the open letter published in She Québevs
It is all the more serious since these few lines slipped without further thought into a bill are not without consequences. As my colleague Hugo Pilon-Larose reports, in recent days, this has given rise to an increase in distress calls from young people fearing the impact it will have on their lives.
Read “Quebec causes a wave of calls for help”
What is encouraging is that public opinion, once again, seems to be one step ahead of the government. Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay was touched by the immediate support that the open letter obtained, well beyond activist circles. “I find it beautiful and inspiring. It gives me chills to see that. ”
What is more disappointing is the much less empathetic political reaction. In a written statement sent to answer my questions, Minister Jolin-Barrette’s office says it is “very sensitive” to the realities of LGBTQ communities. But not enough, it seems, to really take their concerns about Bill 2 seriously. Because if we are to believe the government, these concerns are unfounded.
Bill 2, seen as transphobic by those concerned, would on the contrary be a great step forward for trans people. It’s just that they didn’t notice it …
“Gender identity will now be able to appear on civil status documents and be changed to reflect the identity of a trans person. It is important to mention it; a trans person will therefore be able to continue to have documents that reflect their identity without having to [d’opération chirurgicale]. Surgery is absolutely not necessary for civil status documents to be changed according to the gender identity of the person concerned, ”explains one.
The office of the Minister of Justice says it wants to distinguish between sex and gender identity in the law in order to respond to a recent judgment of the Superior Court, which invalidated articles deemed discriminatory against trans and non-binary people. . If the intention is good, in a practical way, this opens the door to other discriminations and to a coming out strength. Because in reality, only trans or non-binary people will take the steps to register their gender identity on their civil status documents.
The office of the Minister of Justice believes that its proposal meets the demands of groups such as the Center for the Fight against Gender Oppression. However, this same group says it is not. “A sex-gender distinction was never mentioned during our consultations, and the government completely threw away what we said during our consultations,” Celeste Trianon, who is an activist for trans rights, told me. For his Center, Bill 2 is “the most transphobic in the history of Quebec and even of Canada”.
In short, seeing all this, I would like to paraphrase Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay: “If you don’t understand, talk to them…”
That would avoid confusing advances with setbacks. And that would avoid distress to young people who are already living enough like that.