Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, who is responsible for the Department for Women and Gender Equality, issued the following statement on the International Transgender Day of Visibility:
"On this International Transgender Day of Visibility, the Government of Canada pays tribute to the resilience of transgender people and celebrates the diversity they bring to our society, as well as their important contributions.
The actions of the Government of Canada, guided by the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, aim to build a more just and equitable society for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, for both current and future generations, in Canada and around the world.
Last fall, Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate was launched to better enable 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including transgender people, to thrive. It includes a series of initiatives to help community organizations. Recognizing the courage of transgender people and supporting them means helping to put an end to hateful rhetoric.
Everyone deserves to live an authentic life, free from discrimination and harassment, whatever their gender identity or expression. Yet transgender people continue to face this mistreatment and to suffer significant repercussions, especially on their mental health. In fact, a national study found that young transgender people aged 15 and 17 are 7.6 times more likely to attempt suicide than cisgender and heterosexual youth.
Let's offer transgender people our support, today and throughout the year, so that they can feel free to be themselves, in welcoming and respectful environments. Let's show our pride in living in an inclusive and diverse country. Let's be empathetic. Let's stand together."
