LETHBRIDGE – Transgender woman Dillon Hargreaves is excited for the steps Alberta is taking for LGBTQ rights.
“Well I was waiting for the bill to come to the floor, because we were aware of it ahead of time,” said Hargreaves, who was part of the discussion process around the legislation. “I was sitting on my hands trying not to burst the news!”
Bill 7, a proposed amendment to the Alberta Human Rights Act, was introduced in the Alberta legislature by Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Kathleen Ganley Thursday.
Gender identity refers to a how a person views him or herself, while gender expression is the way people express their gender—for example, through dress and behaviour.
READ MORE: Alberta adds gender protection to Human Rights law
Hargreaves said although Canada may be ahead of other countries when it comes to LGBTQ rights, the bill is only a stepping stone to the future.
“We have to focus at this point on things that affect the daily life of trans and queer people,” said Hargreaves. “We need to allow the trans community in particular to have a say in government and the processes they enact.”
The Alberta government showed on Thursday that it agrees.
“We recognize that trans and gender-variant community members continue to be a highly marginalized group within society,” said Ganley.
“This amendment will ensure that the rights of trans and gender variant communities are specifically reflected in the legislation and that this reflects the views of all Albertans.”
The first reading of the bill was unanimously passed, and greeted with support from opposition leaders.
Hargreaves said she didn’t expect it to go through so easily, but is happy to see it.
“To hear the support from both sides of the floor was something that made me very proud to be an Albertan.”
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