Transgender Discrimination In Canada Essay

Transgender Canadians experience discrimination daily because their position in society is one made vulnerable by existing ideologies and the structure of Canadian society. This is especially true for transgender youth, who are beginning to develop their identities and values. The Canadian narrative normalizes heterosexuality and the gender binary of man/woman, excluding the people that do not fit within it like transgender people. This exclusion and discrimination results in inequalities of life quality, sense of belonging, safety, etc. The intersection of the services/structures of society and the dominant ideologies influence this inequality and often reinforce and perpetuate it. This essay will discuss the nature of transgender youth inequality

Many students are denied the right to access bathrooms that correspond with their gender, and others are victims of (sexual) harassment, transphobia, and violence. Transgender youth have high levels of poor mental health and safety in Canada. A Canadian study (source) found that 70% of the youth reported sexual harassment, 2/3 reported self-harm, over 1/3 attempted suicide, and a range between 1/3 and 2/3 had serious thoughts of suicide (source). Transgender students reported a “generally lower connectedness to school” and low mental health. Those who felt a greater connection to their schools reported more stable mental health (source). Another study found that transgender youth are either unable or uncomfortable using school washrooms, leading to a decrease in their reported mental health and physical well-being (gender identity disparities). These experiences include the fear of being harassed or challenged on which washroom they use, leading to an avoidance of the facilities. This can lead to physical ailments like UTIs and dehydration, as students work around the need to use the washroom by hydrating less often and refusing to relieve themselves when the need arises. (identity, pg

It states that should students be uncomfortable changing, trans students should be given alternative changing times instead of total exclusion from the sport or activity. Alternatively, the installation of a changing stall in the changeroom for any student to use is suggested if an earlier changing time cannot be given. This allows for a solution to the issue, as well as improves student security, since any student may use the stall to change in if they feel uncomfortable changing with