Gender activists have been pushing various levels of Canadian governments to end gender identification on official documents.
As it is now, all government documents requiring a gender identification list only two options, M-male, of F-female. Activists want a gender neutral option, or no gender identification at all.
Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, is working on creating a so-called “non-binary” option for its birth certificate, likely to be available upon request by 2018.
In west coast British Columbia, a parent has begun a legal challenge to keep a gender identification off the child’s birth certificate.
In the prairie province of Saskatchewan a group of transgender parents and child guardians are challenging the provincial government and human rights commission over “gender markers” on documents like driving licences, birth certificates, provincial health care cards, and other documents.
In the east coast island province of Newfoundland and Labrador, another application for a non-binary birth certificate was made in April of this year.
While all these cases and many other related stories have been in the news, a new survey shows some 51 per cent of Canadians are unaware of these challenges and Ontario’s plans to likely begin issuing a gender neutral birth certificate to those who want them by 2018
The Angus Reid survey of Canadians shows that of those who have hears something about the issue, a majority opposes the move.
Asked about Ontario’s position to issue gender-neutral birth certificates upon request, a majority, (58%) said they would oppose their province doing the same.
Overall a slim majority of Canadians say it’s not a good thing to issue gender neutral identification upon request.
However the survey shows an age difference in response with those under age 35 more supportive of the idea, by a small margin, but those age 35 and older show a marked opposition.
Additional information- sources
- Angus Reid poll
- CBC: M Boone: Apr 12/17: Newfoundland application birth certificate
- Regian Leader Post:M Bell: Apr. 14/16: Sask. challenge to gender I/D
- CBC: A Janus-L Pelley: Jun 30/17: Ferguson Ontario gender neutral request
- CBC: M Zeidler: Jun 30/17: B.C challenge seeks non-binary I.D.
- Gender Free Coalition- BC legal case press release
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