In early October, it was reported that the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project was looking to have Nova Scotia’s Human Rights Act amended to include protections for transgender people.
One of the main ways that NSRAP gathered support was through a petition that it circulated.
Today, NSRAP presented Minister Leonard Preyra with that same petition. The petition asked that the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act include gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds for discrimination. NSRAP gathered more than 1,700 signatures for the petition.
In a press release, NSRAP chair Kevin Kindred is quoted as saying, “Hundreds of Nova Scotians are calling on our government to extend basic human rights to transgender members of our communities. No one should face discrimination or harassment due to their gender identity or how they express it. It’s time to enshrine those basic protections into law. Including gender identity and gender expression in the Act is an important step towards making sure that transgender people are valued, supported, accepted and protected here in Nova Scotia.”
NSRAP notes in the same release that it hopes “the timing of this petition will call attention to Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual event reflecting on violence against transgender individuals, on November 20.”
Speaking of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, notice has been circulated to various local queer organizations that on Nov 20, the Nova Scotia Department of Justice will be making a special announcement at Province House at 11am. No details have been released to the media or the public as of yet as to the details of the announcement.
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