Our Neighbours: Nat
photo credit: Kelly Baker Photography
What it’s like to be trans in Fredericton:
Challenging. The government seems to have dragged its heels on a couple of issues compared to other provinces. BC has been covering some form of Gender Confirming Surgery since 1993, and most provinces have amended their Human Rights Acts in recognition of the discrimination trans people face. To have a government that doesn’t treat these two issues as a priority is discouraging to say the least.
What you could do to make my day better:
Don’t question it when someone tells you their name and pronouns. If you happen to misgender or refer to someone by their previous name (commonly referred to as “dead-naming”), just say you’re sorry then correct yourself. Doing this shows you’re making an effort and really is just plain good manners.
We live in a richly diverse community, but we sometimes don’t see the unique and beautiful individuals and families who live in Fredericton South. Many members of our community are overlooked, some are invisible, and sometimes they are Othered. In the coming months, I want to introduce you to some of our neighbours. They are us. You’ll find our Profiles series on our website starting with this one profiling members of our LGBTQ community and continuing with distinct communities each season.