CAMH welcomes Ontario Human Rights Tribunal decision on identification for trans people

On April 11, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruled that sex reassignment surgery is not required in order to obtain a change in sex designation on one's birth registration. Until this ruling, only trans people who completed sex reassignment surgery were able to have their gender recognized on official documentation.

The Tribunal ruled that the current system "has a discriminatory effect on transgender persons" and ordered the provincial government to revise the criteria for changing sex designation on a birth registration so as to remove this discriminatory effect.

CAMH welcomes this Ontario Human Rights Tribunal decision.

“Not recognizing someone’s gender identity on official documentation has negative effects on everything from gaining employment and housing, to travelling on an airplane.  It turns commonplace situations, like picking up a package at the post office, into distressing events for trans people." said Dr. Chris McIntosh, Head of the Gender Identity Clinic at CAMH. “This ruling certainly is an important step in the establishment of more explicit human rights for the transgender community.”

For more on the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruling please visit the Canadian Legal Information Institute.

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