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Love/Sex Laws: Past, Recent Posts Present, and Future Navigating UTSC
Recommended February hits and, like clockwork, love begins to fill the air (even in the Reading most unlikely of places). Politics, often unfairly dubbed as the least sexy of career paths, continues to contribute to how love functions. Amid our Offensive Content newest Prime Minister making Vogue’s list of sexiest men alive, and 6Dad on Social Media Norm Kelly getting all the love, it’s clear that Canadian politics are steamier than ever! Misconceptions
With Justin Trudeau bringing in a majority government, something that about UTSC hasn’t happened since 2000, the Liberal’s past and future love-centric policies are being closely watched. Opinion: A House Built For You The Liberal party has always been a forerunner when it comes to making progressive decisions in the areas related to love. Pierre Elliott Trudeau set in motion the pro-choice movement at the federal level, finally succeeding (with the help of Dr. Henry Morgentaler) in deeming abortion legal in 1988.
Irwin Cotler, Minister of Justice in 2005, helped make Canada the fourth country in the world to legalize gay marriage. Fast forward a decade, and Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne’s puts in place #WhoWillYouHelp: an action plan to put a stop to sexual harassment. After it went viral and garnered international attention and over seven million views online, Wynne continued to amaze by implementing a reformed sexual education curriculum into elementary schools province-wide.
In an interview with the Toronto Star, Wynne justified the shift by saying, “We have a curriculum that was last reviewed in 1998. Times have changed.” She’s not wrong. With the introduction of mobile phones, webcams, and the Internet, updates like ‘sexting’ and ‘masturbation’ are welcome additions to the outdated curriculum.
David Rayside, LGBTQ+ activist and former professor of political science at the University of Toronto, looks at the new program as a way to remove the social taboos surrounding kids and sex. “It’s important to talk about [sex and sexuality]. The concept of gender, access to gender reassignment…kids will inevitably learn about this stuff,” states Rayside. “They need sensitive and accurate information to demystify it. Gender still is, and always was, a very powerful divide in schools and in life. I think recognizing trans issues is a good way to confront the underlying taboo.”
As we move into the new year, many eagerly anticipate Trudeau’s first big move while in power. One of the first, he promises, is to rework the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (Bill C-36). Passed last August, the bill aims to protect the rights and safety of sex workers in Canada. Unfortunately, many don’t feel that it actually helps. Critics of the bill worry that the direct criminalization of sexual services, though meant to protect those in the industry, will only isolate workers, pushing them to move into more dangerous environments.
Rayside spoke both on his support for the idea of the bill, and his hesitation about its contents stating, “I’m more interested in the specific wording than the passing of the bill itself. Risking the loss of the bigger picture, though dire to the cause, may be necessary to protect the rights of those involved.”
Trudeau seems to agree, having already announced plans to rework the bill with a more evidence-based approach in mind. “The Supreme Court has said the framework that existed was not protecting vulnerable people and women from violence,” explains Trudeau in an interview with CTV News, “And I think that’s the lens we need to look at as we move forward on that difficult issue.”
In tandem with Bill C-36, Trudeau is looking towards Bill C-279, an amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code that would improve the stature of trans individuals in the eyes of the law.
The Liberal party website describes that the main goals of the bill as “[A way] to add gender identity as a prohibited ground of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, and to the list of distinguishing characteristics of ‘identifiable groups’ protected by hate speech provisions in the Criminal Code.”
Though originally pitched by Randall Garrison, an MP from Sooke, B.C., the bill has been picked up and revamped by the Liberal party. “I’m committed to making sure that we’re defending trans* rights fully and completely,” writes Trudeau. “It won’t have to be a private member’s bill. It would be part of a government bill.”
With over 1 500 signatures on the virtual petition posted to the Liberal party’s website, it’s clear that many see this as an issue that needs to be solved.
Rayside, though excited about these progressions, remains stout in his understanding and appreciation of process. “It is as important as it ever has been to recognize how we’ve got to this point,” he says. “Obviously, there has been some legal progress in protecting the gay and lesbian community. [Trans] rights, by default, are the most obvious next move. Through the leaps and bounds made by and for [the gay and lesbian] community, the more obvious lack of rights for trans individuals is highlighted.” With the exciting advances we can expect to see from the Liberal government over the next few years, it’s clear that the distasteful nature of openly discussing love and sex has come and gone. It’s 2016, and everything from sex-ed to prostitution is finally being openly debated in parliament. If that doesn’t warm your heart this February, then we don’t know what will.
February 10th, 2016 | News | 0 Comments
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The Author: Eden Debebe
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