Equality : Canada Opens Doors To LGBTQ Immigrants
America may have regressed when it comes to LGBTQ rights, but it looks like Canada is picking up all the slack on this front. While Trump has disallowed transgender American from serving in the military and may possibly rescind LGBTQ Obamacare protections, Canada has already set the stage to welcome LBTQ immigrants.
Guidelines released by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) outline the many points that immigration decision-makers in Canada need to consider when it comes to cases of LGBTQ immigrants. The guidelines took effect May this year, and helps the IRB avoid rejecting LGBTQ immigrants because they may hesitate to answer insensitive questions about their gender and sexuality.
Some of the things included in the guidelines are reminders that an LGBTQ immigrants family members may not always be the best source to corroborate their sexual orientation or gender identity. The guidelines also caution against stereotyping LGBTQ people when assessing them.
Canada is even taking it a step further with its recent introduction of gender-neutral passports. Starting on the 31st of August, people who do not identify as either male or female can choose to use the gender designation “X” on their passport.
What’s even more encouraging is that as much as the world views Canada as a pretty welcoming place, this wasn’t always the case. A 2015 report by nongovernmental organization Envisioning revealed that asylum seekers hoping for entry into Canada were “required to provide documentation not only of persecution but also ‘proof’ of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.” It also alleged that the IRB officials relied on “stereotypical, uninformed…conceptions of LGBT identity.”
What do you guys think about Canada’s inclusive immigration policy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
A proud Canadian!
i luv Canada..,i’ve been there several times.
Would a photograph of a male applicant sucking a dick or fucking another guy suffice as proof of sexual preference? The notion of asking an applicant their sexual preference or their gender identity strikes me as ridiculous. Why can’t they just ask if the applicant was born with a dick or a cunt? Or maybe just do away with the questions and ask them to present their crotch for inspection like so many cattle…
Well bless their hearts!
Just wonder what reaction the gender designation X on their passports will have in other less enlightened countries. Imagine entering Saudi Arabia with this.
I’ve always loves Canada having visited many times. The combination of their leadership compare to ours and the impact of global climate change is making that country increasingly attractive
i love canada so much,have been dreaming to live and work there,my names are cornelius onyeka okafor,am 36 years old,am a gay,am versatile top,am from east part of Nigeria but live in lagos nigeria,i work in a bar as a bar attendant,please i really need help to move out of Nigeria because Nigeria gay law is really affecting me so much,because of the law,i can not explese my feelings,please i want to move out of Nigeria before i will be arrested and finally put to jell.
i know a ton of chix’s with dick’s.
such good news eh!