Canada Has Finally Adopted A Bill Protecting Trans And Nonbinary People

After more than a decade of pressure from advocates, Canada's Senate has finally adopted a bill adding gender expression and identity to the country's human rights protections. 

Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, passed a vote in the Senate with 67 in favour.

It prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression, just as Canada's human rights code prohibits discrimination due to gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other factors.

But getting here has been a process, to say the least.

A similar bill was first introduced by the NDP in 2005. It was reintroduced in 2006, then again in 2009. Twice, bills to protect trans and nonbinary Canadians died in the Senate. Though the NDP has been largely responsible for previous attempts, this represents a major win for Justin Trudeau's Liberal government and its Special Advisor on LGBTQ2 Issues, Randy Boissonnault. Read more via Buzzfeed