Manitoba celebrates its first 2Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility

Love is action: that was the message coming from the Manitoba Legislative Assembly on Monday as the province celebrated its first-ever 2Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility.

“I think you can tell by the response that we’ve had to our first 2Spirit Trans Day of Visibility that it’s well-attended and folks understand that they have a government that’s walking with them,” said Logan Oxenham, the MLA for Kirkfield Park.

“It’s so great to see so many smiling faces. You know, people walking through the building here, you can tell — standing up taller, feeling like they belong in this building. This is the people’s building and it’s so wonderful to celebrate the 2Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility.”

Oxenham is the one who led the charge in making sure Manitoba has a day of visibility for the community.

“I think the greatest combat, to combat hate, just look at the smiles on people’s faces,” he said. “That’s the best way of us fighting back as a community, is getting together, celebrating, being with each other, understanding that yes the world is not a very safe place for transgender people, but also taking comfort in knowing that you do have support here in this province.”

New legislation being introduced is welcomed by many as a big step in the right direction.

If passed, Bill 26, The Vital Statistics Amendment Act, will remove barriers for adults to change their sex designation without support from a health practitioner.

And Bill 48, The Human Rights Code Amendment Act, will expand the list of protected characteristics in the province’s Human Rights Code to include gender expression.

“This is huge. We have been advocating for some of these changes since the founding of Trans Manitoba in 2017,” said Charlie Eau, the executive director of Trans Manitoba.

“It’s so incredibly empowering, especially on the Day of Visibility, to hear that I no longer have to ask my doctor for permission to change my identity marker on my birth certificate to align with who I have always known that I am.

“The reality of our community right now is that, while we are becoming more visible, we are still experiencing harassment on the streets every single day. Discrimination in workplaces, in places of education, in places of worship.”

Feather Wolfe, of Sunshine House, agrees it’s about more than visibility.

“It’s about being able to exist openly without apology. It’s about honouring all the parts about who we are. The parts that were once hidden, the parts we had to fight to understand, and the parts I can now celebrate.”