Ruling out mixed-gender bathrooms in Quebec schools disregards students' safety: trans activist
CTV
A trans activist in Montreal said Quebec's education minister is ignoring the well-being of trans and non-binary students by ruling out having mixed-gender bathrooms in the province's schools.
A trans activist in Montreal said Quebec's education minister is ignoring the well-being of trans and non-binary students by ruling out having mixed-gender bathrooms in the province's schools.
Minister Bernard Drainville made it unequivocally clear on Tuesday that he is against the idea. The issue was raised at the National Assembly after a school in Rouyn-Noranda said it planned to offer them.
"So I definitely felt disappointed when I saw his comments because it disregards, in a way, trans and non-binary students' safety," said trans activist Celeste Trianon, who runs the Quebec Trans ID Clinic.
"And the consequence of that is that it's going to lead to othering of trans and non-binary students who are not going to feel safe at school, as would be the case with full-blown gender-neutral washrooms as is being proposed at that school in Abitibi."
The education minister was reacting to news that the École d'Iberville had started work to provide mixed-gender bathrooms for students for the 2024-2025 school year. The proposed bathrooms would have floor-to-ceiling stalls with a shared sink area.
A petition was launched to oppose the project.
"We don't think it's a good idea," said Drainville in a press scrum on Tuesday, the first day of the parliamentary session resuming in Quebec City. "The school needs to get its act together."
