Transgender Awareness Week takes place Nov 13-18 with the goal of increasing visibility and awareness of the transgender community. To commemorate this week, we wanted to point out some important resources that can be helpful to transgender people in your libraries dealing with legal issues.
JusticeTrans provides legal information to trans people across Canada. They have content pages for each province/territory; check out their BC page to learn more about rights upon arrest, changing gender markers and names, and the BC human rights code as it pertains to gender identity and expression. Their Canada-wide page also has information on rights upon arrest, name changes and gender markers on immigration documents, family law, and more.
Looking for more information about changing name and gender markers on provincial and federal ID and records? Check out the following resources:
- This blog post by Adrienne Smithe, a non-binary lawyer in Vancouver, can be used as a guide for those looking to change their name and gender on their ID
- The BC government also provides pages with links to the needed forms and more information about the process in general.
- Trans Care BC provides information about how to change one’s name and gender markers on ID issued in BC and by the Canadian government. Trans Care BC also provides helpful resources for those seeking gender affirming surgery in BC.
QMUNITY is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver that works to improve the lives of 2SLGBT+ people around the province. One of their many services is providing information and referrals for those looking for services known to be friendly and competent with 2SLGBT+ matters.
Looking for print resources? 2SLGBT+ law is a growing area and we are always on the lookout for new books to add to the LawMatters’ Law Books for Libraries list. Here are some titles already on the list and preapproved for purchase at your library – look for more next year!
LGBTQ2+ law: practice issues and analysis: This book covers a wide variety of legal and LGBT topics, including human rights, family law, criminal law, children and youth, trans competency, and more. This title is available at our regional branches around the province.
Making the Case: 2SLGBTQ+ Rights and Religion in Schools: This book discusses what happens in a Canadian context when conflict arises between 2SLGBT+ people expressing their rights and identities in schools and those asserting religious rights. This title can be especially helpful for those working toward creating an inclusive school environment or responding to rights-based conflicts in these settings.
Banning Transgender Conversion Practices: A Legal and Policy Analysis: This book centres trans experiences to push forward the legal regulation of conversion therapy – harmful interventions designed to prevent people from being transgender. It’s a great title for those looking to learn more about what bans exist, what approaches have been used, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.