It is within reason for someone to believe that all I ever write about are transgender issues. From one point of view, that is entirely correct. It's not like there are a mess of other people writing about the segment of society which is treated worse than any other. So I assigned myself the task of educating the public about our issues in the hopes that our lives would improve. And the public I have chosen consists of you, dear readers.
On the other hand since the essential point is that we are just people, searching for the same happiness that others have a somewhat easier task locating, what that means is that I write about a multitude of topics.
In my last ten diaries, for example, I have written about education, the media and the arts, bureaucratic discrimination, gun violence, employment discrimination, medical treatment, voting rights, high school, discrimination, and the juvenile (in)justice system.
And now...hockey!
Jesse Thompson filed a complaint with the Ontario human rights commission over the Hockey Canada co-ed dressing room policy. Jesse identifies as a boy, but since he was declared a girl at birth, the boys' room was off-limits to him. But he wasn't welcome in the girls' room either because, you know, he looks like a boy.
"I was always stuck in a hard place," he explained, adding that he would miss out on team conversations and post-game parties because he was "forced off into another change room."
So he filed a complaint, supported by the
Human Rights Legal Support Centre.
In a settlement Hockey Canada has agreed to allow players to use the changing room which best corresponds to their gender identity.
I just hope that kids can see this and know that they don’t have to hide any more.
They can come out and play their sport that they love, and they don’t have to stop playing it just because of how they are or who they are.
It needs to be open to everyone to play, to feel comfortable, and to not feel like they’re going to be discriminated against.
I hope other hockey organizations around the world can see there’s a big change coming.
I’m just a boy. I’m just like any other kid out there growing up. I’m just a teenager.
--Jesse Thompson
So Jesse will get to use the same dressing room as the rest of his teammates for the upcoming season. In addition Hockey Canada has agreed to train all of its trainers and coaches in the province of Ontario on the issues of gender identity, gender expression, and discrimination and harassment. Also, too, players will be called by their chosen name and referred to by the pronouns of the gender they identify with.
As of yet the new policy only applies to Ontario and Hockey Canada has no plans to expand it.
It is our hope that Hockey Canada will rethink the policy for all over Canada.
--Janina Fogels, Human Rights Legal Support Centre
I imagine there will at least be interest in expanding it to British Columbia:
Cory Oskam.
[Jesse's] courage will allow transgender hockey players to feel welcome and supported in their locker rooms.
Hockey is a game meant for everyone and we are excited for the day when all LGBT athletes feel secure in their ability to live their lives openly.
--Patrick Burke, You Can Play