Labour’s Fight for Trans Rights – A Conversation with Bennett Jensen of Egale Canada
Toronto – October 9, 2024 – UFCW Canada sat down with Bennett Jensen, the Director of Legal at Egale Canada, to discuss the current attacks on trans rights in Canada, and what unions can do to help.
Friday, October 11 is National Coming Out Day in Canada, and today, more and more trans and gender diverse children and adults in Canada are feeling unsafe to be themselves in their schools, workplaces and communities.
The conservative governments of New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Alberta have passed or are considering American culture-war style laws targeting transgender children: despite these laws clearly violating children’s rights.
Bennett Jenson, the Director of Legal at Egale Canada, a 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy organization, explains in the video below what this means for Canadians, and what UFCW and other labour organizations can do to fight it.
“We're at a unique moment in terms of increasing threats to specifically trans and gender diverse people, but to LGBTQ people in general,” says Jenson. “Right wing politicians have focused on creating this sense that there's some sort of epidemic of trans ness and that trans people represent a threat to children.”
“These policies change the lives of the young people in question, virtually overnight for the worse,” Jenson explains the effect that these policies have had on the lives of trans and gender diverse kids in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan. “This policy has completely changed their lives: bullying has gone way up, their level of comfort in broader society has gone way down. The parents are experiencing more abuse in community. And the, the mental health of these young kids has plummeted. It's had a devastating impact.”
Labour unions have historically fought back against unfair usage of the notwithstanding clause to violate rights, and have been long-standing advocates for transgender rights. UFCW 401, for example, is fighting against Premier Smith’s escalating attacks on trans rights in Albertawith education, advocacy and organizing.
You can take action and let your voice be heard by joining one of Momentum Canada’s Actionsto protect trans rights.
Watch the full interview with Bennett Jenson below:
