Canada: Transgendered may be denied boarding
Feb 12, 2012, 12:57 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 238
Feb 12, 2012, 5:48 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,972
I think what was meant by "it's not likely to be an issue" is that it's highly unlikely, even given the regulation, that an airline would actually deny boarding for such a reason. I agree with that and that indeed seems to be the case since if it had actually happened, we'd have heard about it. The regulations do need to be clarified, of course, since even a theoretical possibility is a problem, but, in practice, it seems unlikely this will acttually affect anybody.
Feb 12, 2012, 9:22 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 238
I think what was meant by "it's not likely to be an issue" is that it's highly unlikely, even given the regulation, that an airline would actually deny boarding for such a reason. I agree with that and that indeed seems to be the case since if it had actually happened, we'd have heard about it. The regulations do need to be clarified, of course, since even a theoretical possibility is a problem, but, in practice, it seems unlikely this will acttually affect anybody.
Feb 13, 2012, 5:15 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,972
Re-read what I wrote: I certainly agree with that. However, I don't agree with some of the people in the trans community who seem to feel that this was purposely aimed at them.
Indeed just yesterday, I had a conversation with the manager of a fancy restaurant about the issues that can result when a server unnecessarily addresses two people at a table as "you women" when the server has no way to know how they gender-identify. She simply hadn't given it any thought whatsoever and this was in city that has a significant gay population.
I think this regulation is nothing more than an overzealous version of "make sure the ID matches the person" giving absolutely no thought to the trans issue. And that's why I don't see it as a problem in practice: airline employees will most likely implement this in the "spirit of the law" (ID must match passenger) and once they're convinced of a match, they're done. The practical implications of this aren't likely to be much worse than those of simply having the sex on the ID and using it as "gender" in the first place, which itself is offensive to the community.
Oftentimes the trans* community faces even more discrimination, ignorance, and intolerance than the gay community does and this regulation will only help perpetuate this unless all screeners undergo some form of sensitivity training (which doesn't necessarily solve personal prejudice).
I think this regulation is nothing more than an overzealous version of "make sure the ID matches the person" giving absolutely no thought to the trans issue. And that's why I don't see it as a problem in practice: airline employees will most likely implement this in the "spirit of the law" (ID must match passenger) and once they're convinced of a match, they're done. The practical implications of this aren't likely to be much worse than those of simply having the sex on the ID and using it as "gender" in the first place, which itself is offensive to the community.
Last edited by RichardKenner; Feb 13, 2012 at 5:22 am
Feb 13, 2012, 3:32 pm
#22
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: either in Salishaan, or at an isolated colliery in the Canadian northland
Programs: AC P75: previously, quintuple secret pterodactyl wings, every year
Posts: 203
The majority of gender-corrective surgeries are done overseas (outside North America), even to this day. This change in regulations is potentially a very real problem for people seeking to make that journey.
33 years ago, when I went from Canada for a summer-long sojourn in the south of England, I had the practical option of travelling by ship, admittedly much more slowly and at greater expense (through various lucky chances I had obtained a non-revenue first-class air ticket for that journey).
The option to travel by ship is much less-available nowadays.
I rather doubt that the change in Canadian regulations was primarily aimed at transgender people, but judging by the subsequent smirking comments of various members of Parliament (easily discoverable via Google), the regulations are unlikely to be amended any time soon. The matter is now in the hands of the courts, but I wouldn't expect any resolution for a few years, what with court backlogs and all.
33 years ago, when I went from Canada for a summer-long sojourn in the south of England, I had the practical option of travelling by ship, admittedly much more slowly and at greater expense (through various lucky chances I had obtained a non-revenue first-class air ticket for that journey).
The option to travel by ship is much less-available nowadays.
I rather doubt that the change in Canadian regulations was primarily aimed at transgender people, but judging by the subsequent smirking comments of various members of Parliament (easily discoverable via Google), the regulations are unlikely to be amended any time soon. The matter is now in the hands of the courts, but I wouldn't expect any resolution for a few years, what with court backlogs and all.