Toronto is battling transphobia with a brilliant campaign
Toronto has launched a campaign to battle transphobia and it is brilliant.
The Toronto for All campaign is addressing prejudice to the trans community in the city, particularly trans people of colour.
The group has paired up with the Black Coalition for AIDS (Black CAP) to create the adverts which challenge stereotypes around gender.
The posters which have been placed across the province feature models with the words “my gender lives here” across the heads.
“Not here” is written across their groin areas.
“Transgender youth of colour are part of Toronto. Transphobia is not,” is written across the bottom of the ad.
Robbie Ahmed, a spokesperson for Black Cap told Now Toronto that the campaign hopes to promote trans visibility and intersectionality.
“In addition to trans visibility, we wanted to tackle the issue of intersectionality – the idea that there are multiple oppressions and barriers that combine.
“It’s not to say that other LGBTQ people don’t face these barriers, but trans youth of colour face oppressions related to their gender as well as race.”
Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, marked the start of Pride celebrations earlier this month by raising the transgender and rainbow flag above Parliament Hill.
Speaking at the ceremony, the PM insisted that they would not stop working on legislation to protect LGBT people in Canada.
He said: “I believe that it’s essential to make amends for past wrongs, and not to simply gloss over them.
“Our government believes in equality and equal treatment for all Canadians.
“We will passionately defend the rights of all our citizens regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
“Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are unacceptable. In Canada we’ve come a long way, but there is still work to be done, both here in Canada and around the world.”
