Trans sex workers are affected and impacted by violence, harassment and discrimination. The police and “powers-that-be” may not believe them, and their narratives are not given any weight. It is crucial that a framework be developed to combat this such as Bill C-16, which we can view as the first step towards implementing change. Safety and respect for trans folx should be a high priority for the government to address. The addition of Bill C-16 gives a voice to those that queer the gender binary and present in non-normative ways.

Lack of support resources for trans folx, discrimination has been rampant throughout the trans community. The repercussions of this have manifested in numerous ways, such as job insecurity, lack of housing options and limited access to gender-conforming surgeries. The barriers are countless. There a very few resources for Trans folx and is often left to community based organizations to provide these services without support from the government.

Trans folx are disproportionately affected by violence and discrimination. Although Bill C-16 is a respectable first step, the skeptic in me wonders if this is really lip service. How will discrimination against trans folx be enforced, and shall it ACTUALLY be enforced with punitive measures? Systematic discrimination against trans folx runs so deeply through institutions, it is hard to imagine that this will be rectified

A few thoughts came to mind while reading this extract. Biopower, Eugenics, Social Control…The government performs these forced interventions, with the attempt to indoctrinate the child into normative gender roles, upholding the gender binary. Not just society, but the medical profession is also rooted in heteronormativity, and it is disturbing the lengths these folx will go to maintain the status quo.