Human Rights

PSAC Pride Statement 2004

Celebrating… and Continuing to Fight for Pride  

We have good reasons to be proud of the ongoing struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered equality within our union and within Canadian society. As we celebrate Pride 2004, we should also look back to its origins and remember that the struggle continues, for our members, for Canadians and for GLBT people around the world.

It has been thirty-five years since Stonewall, the event that sparked political organization in the GLBT community in North America. In June 1969, tired of police harassment, the patrons of the Stonewall bar in New York City rose up in protest, led by a handful of drag queens and transgendered people. The Riots became a potent symbol of taking a stand against oppression and demanding full equality in every area of life. The first organized Pride march was planned the following year.

Many milestones in the history of GLBT acceptance have occurred in and around Pride marches. This year, the fight for the right to marry occupies centre stage as an ongoing issue.The Public Service Alliance of Canada strongly supports the extension of access to marriage to same-sex couples.

We continue to stand by the courts which recognize same-sex couples have the right to choose to marry and that depriving them of this right is contrary to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The PSAC has a long history of opposing all forms of discrimination be they in the workplace or in society as a whole. We are proud of our leadership role in advancing GLBT rights.The adoption of PSAC Policy 31 on Sexual Orientation in 1994 made us one of the first unions to recognize the links between the struggle for workers’ rights and GLBT rights. No-discrimination and harassment clauses and policies, benefits extended to same-sex partners, leave provisions such as birth, adoption or bereavement and the equivalent of marriage leave are included in our collective agreements. The first ever fully-funded PSAC Pride Conference was held in November 2003, in Montreal, providing GLBT members with a safe space to strategize, strengthen solidarity, and become activists and leaders in our union. Resolutions from the Pride Conference will go to our next Triennial Convention and our Equal Opportunities Committee has created an information kit upon same-sex marriage in the context of the 2004 federal election.

While we rightfully celebrate these victories, we need to remain vigilant in maintaining them. Appeals to entrenched homo and trans-phobia attempt to take away the rights of GLBT citizens and to deny them equal status in society.

Over the last decade, at least one person per month in 20 countries around the world, including Canada, has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. We know that GLBT persons around the world are often persecuted, denied their basic rights and sometimes even killed because of their sexual orientation or their suspected sexual orientation.

Clearly there are still many challenges for our Union – from taking action to ensure the equality of GLBT persons to implementing measures which make our union more inclusive. In the spirit of Stonewall, we must defend the hard-won rights of GLBT people and continue to work towards dignity and equality for all.