Transgender People are Completely Banned From Boarding Airplanes in Canada!!!
“The offending section of the regulations reads:
(c) the passenger does not appear to be of the gender indicated on the identification he or she presents;” (Milloy, 2012).
Although this obviously discriminatory regulation did not come to significant public attention until very recently, it came into effect on July 27th, 2011, that Transport Canada added a new regulation to the Aeronautics Act by adding an amendment to the Identity Screening Regulations. These changes that happened within Canada‘s airline screening regulations that took affect have angered members that live within the transgender community. The members of the transgender community are asking questions about how these new rules in place could prevent them from boarding planes, let alone flying to a destination of their choice. “The controversial line is one that states an air carrier shall not transport a passenger who does not appear to be of the gender indicated on the identification he or she presents”(Gollom & Engelhardt, 2012). I found it very interesting to read that this regulatory adjustment happened immediately following the federal election in 2011. This regulation was part of a larger set of rules put into place by the Minister of Transportation, Denis Lebel, who happens to be a conservative. He required no approval from the Canadian parliament to implement them, which explains why no one was aware this was even a problem until recently.
In order to change the ‘sex’ designation on a Canadian Passport, the federal government requires proof that surgery has already taken place or that it will take place within one year. So for non-operative transgender persons, for gender nonconforming (genderqueer) persons, and for the vast majority of pre-operative transsexual persons, it is literally impossible to obtain proper travel documentation marked with the sex designation which “matches” the gender identity in which they live. (Milloy, 2012)
The concern here is that transgender people who live their daily lives as another sex than the one that is stated on their passport, or on any of their other pieced of identification will be banned from boarding flights. This is discrimination to the transgender community by the Canadian airlines. I can see that there are both pro’s and con’s to this controversial issue that is now being made reality for the transgender community. The pro’s give fugitives a harder time to get on the planes, as well as fake passports can possibly be noticed more. As well as terrorists may have a harder time getting on the plane which will then prevent attacks from happening. But on the other hand there are many con’s, such as oppressing the transgender community even more. They are being singled out because they are not identifying as the typical male or female sexual orientation that is expected which then continues the stigmas and judgements against them. The Canadian government would never ban someone from flying because they were born in, lets say a third world country, a country embedded in violence, a country surrounded by terrorism, yet immigrated here for a better chance at life. So why ban a human being, a citizen or not, whom is attempting to live a better life for themselves.
When taking a look through a liberal lens you will see that liberalism is focused on human rights and equality. Liberals believe that equality is very important. They believe that all people should be able to have the same opportunities as anyone else. Liberal equality will always be part of society, and the major inequalities such as power, status and income will always exist. But the Idea of equality is to be able to regulate all of these inequalities so that everyone can have a fair chance, and so everyone has as least the ability to attain the same status, income or power. “People's ability to be who they are, in terms of their sexual orientation, is shaped by freedom and rights on the one hand, and by the construction of heterosexist discourses in society on the other”
(Cocker, C., Hafford-Letchfield, T, 2009). Despite the range of opinions and assumptions about the LGBT community and the liberal ideology and the idea that we just need to get over it, you see that many LGBT men and woman continue to experience a high degree of exclusion and segregation, and stigmas in many different areas of society. The LGBT community continues to have low expectation of the services available and also of the quality of them due to people having stigmas, people who have been taught other beliefs, religion, as well as personal prejudice. As potential social workers we need to advocate for these clients and provided them with the services that they need, and help raise awareness and reduce stigmas that they still face on a day to day basis.
Ultimately we are taking the rights away of the transgender community because of their sexual orientation when otherwise they would have been allowed to fly. When are people going to realize that these are people too and just because of their orientation they are being segregated and discriminated against. What if these people flew regularly due to business, now they will be forced to find another transportation like car or bus, or may even have to find a new job due to the circumstances. I feel that a person who is genetically male but identifies herself as female should be allowed to designate herself as such on her passport. Then there would be no discrimination. That’s where the law really needs to be changed.
Not everyone falls into a gender or sex binary. What about biologically female people who identify as female, and have ovarian cysts or other conditions that cause them to grow facial hair? No airport personnel should be looking at someone and deciding they look “too male” or “too female.” If their face matches, their face matches. The end.
Baker, J. (2006).” Equality“. Social Policyin Ireland : principles, practice and problems, 2nd ed. Oak Tree Press. Web. 22 Dec. 2012. <
http://researchrepository.ucd.ie/bitstream/handle/10197/2039/Baker%20%282006%29%20Equality%20%28pre-print%29.pdf?sequence=1>.
Cocker, C., Hafford-Letchfield, T. (2009). Out and Proud? Social Work’s Relationship with Lesbian and Gay Equality. British Journal of Social Work, 40, (6) 1996-2008. http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org.libproxy.auc.ca/content/40/6/1996.full
Gollom, M, & Englehardt, J. “Are transgender Canadians being banned from boarding flights“. CBCnews. 2, Feb. 2012. Web. 4 Nov. 2012.<http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/02/02/transgender-airline-screening.html>.
Milloy, C. (2012, January 30). “Transgender People are Completely Banned From Boarding Airplanes in Canada“. N.p., 30, Jan. 2012. Web. 4 Nov. 2012<http://chrismilloy.ca/2012/01/transgender-people-are-completely-banned-from-boarding-airplanes-in-canada/>.
Alysha
I think this is something that people can look at in two different ways like you said. There are both pros and cons to this, and it is something that does not seem to have an easy answer...
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blog, and thinking about this...I believe that people should be able to put whatever gender they identify as on their passport. Like you said if the face matches - it should be no problem.
There should be more thought put into this by everyone - public, government (etc). There should be more people who have a say in this decision, not just one man.
We are moving in a direction (hopefully) of equality and equal rights for all humans. The idea of LGBTTTIQ people being treated equally in all dimensions is something that I hope to see one day.
As far as I am concerned, it is no ones business if someone is a transgendered person...
Meagan (LGBT)
Well let me just start by saying wow!
ReplyDeleteI am baffled there was not more attention brought to this when the bill was passed! Could the law be any more discriminatory? I understand the pro's and con's thing but if were talking about something such as terroism, more likely than not it will me a male siucide bomber, do you think he is dressing up as a woman? I think this bill is most defintely directed to the LGBTTTIQ community and a complete invasion of privacy.
I think you're right when you say that each individual person should be able to choose what gender their passport identifies them as so it is a true reflection of themself. Allowing some random person from customs decide if you look "man enough" in your picture is unacceptable.
What a valuable post, thanks.
Kristin*
Reading this made me so angry. It appalls me that people making these policies, whom are educated people, can make up such silly rules. This not only affects passengers, but also air lines stewardists. Their employers are asking them to judge whether a person looks male or female which is unfair to them. They will have to deal with (very reasonably)offended passengers and try to explain a policy that they don't agree with. This policy makes people who are trying to figure out who they are and become comfortable in their bodies even more selfconscious. Even passengers who are not transgender will be hurt by this. Sometimes, people just don't look they way their particular gender is "supposed" to look. Airlines are giving themselves the right to tell people that they are doing their gender wrong. This is beyond unfair and I hope that this changes soon.
ReplyDelete-Morgan
This is actually so terrible. What is canada coming to? We are supossed to be a free country but people can't dress, and look a different way then they are "suppossed too?" this makes me angry that people have the choice to be transgender but can't travel that way? This makes me think about something that i herd about Australia allowing people to put down that they were transgender on there passport to stop this confussion. I think that would be something that Canada should look into.
ReplyDeleteLorie