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May 17, 2014
This Saturday is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. CUPE Ontario encourages all members to join us in marking this day and renewing our commitment to take action in workplaces and communities to end discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Through collective bargaining, we have negotiated protection of transgender rights into collective agreements, supported member Martine Stonehouse in her historic court challenge relating to gender reassignment surgery, and publicly supported legislative changes such as NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo’s anti-bullying “Toby’s Law” and NDP MP Randall Garrison’s bill, which provides equal protection under the law from discrimination and hatred based on gender identity.
We fight for these rights because they are the rights of our members, because our members voted to stand up for them, and because ending discrimination and harassment is at the core of our beliefs.
On this International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, we are in the middle of a provincial election. We encourage all members to question candidates on issues of equality, and to remember that it was a Conservative government that removed gender reassignment surgery from OHIP – something it took activists and CUPE Ontario members a decade to correct. Let’s use our votes to advance human rights, not send them backwards again.
At the end of June, we invite all CUPE members to join us in Toronto at World Pride for the biggest statement against homophobia and transphobia our country has ever seen.
