Articles

About Articles The following articles are published by the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community Section of the Ontario Bar Association. Members are encouraged to submit articles. About Articles

Editor: Rachel Allen

Today
Today
SOGIC at 25: Reflections from Two Former Chairs

SOGIC at 25: Reflections from Two Former Chairs

  • March 13, 2020
  • Teddy Weinstein

The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community (SOGIC) is celebrating 25 years at the forefront of LGBTTIQ2S advocacy in Canada. Founded during World AIDS Day, 1994, SOGIC now has chapters and representatives in every Canadian Province. In the first in a series of articles featuring retrospectives of the group’s founding and work, former SOGIC Ontario Branch (OBA) chairs, Chris Ellis and Paul Saguil reflect on their involvement.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, Student Forum
Sex Ed Reform: An Unfinished Business

Sex Ed Reform: An Unfinished Business

  • November 06, 2019
  • Marcus McCann, author; Lilia Azatian, editor

The unsettling truth is that the fight over Ontario’s 2015 sexual health curriculum was a fight over a very imperfect document. People expect a lot of a sex ed document: it’s supposed to touch on a broad range of topics, including anatomy, gender, sexual intercourse, birth control, online safety, relationships, and bullying. Some of these are sensitive subjects. Ideally, the curriculum should capture the social realities facing today’s students, and prepare them for the world they live in.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, Student Forum
<em>All Families Are Equal Act</em>: How Did We Get Here?

All Families Are Equal Act: How Did We Get Here?

  • April 25, 2019
  • Lilia Azatian

"The Court should never be influenced by the weather of the day, but inevitably they will be influenced by the climate of the era." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Family Law, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, Student Forum

Indigenous Two Spirited People: Program Review and Highlights

  • December 13, 2018
  • Alissa Saieva

On November 12, 2018, the OBA's Aboriginal Law Section and its Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee co-hosted a program focusing on the experiences of Indigenous Two Spirited people, bringing together a learned panel with an unparalleled level of knowledge, experience, and expertise to the program that was well received by its over 50 online and in-person attendees. The panel discussed the historical discrimination experienced by Two Spirited people, progress made, and paths forward.

Aboriginal Law, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, Student Forum

A Clear Affirmation from the Supreme Court of Canada: LGBTQ+ Individuals in the Legal Profession Matter

  • November 02, 2018
  • Adam James and Savannah DeWolfe, authors; Lilia Azatian, editor

In June, the Supreme Court of Canada reinforced the importance of equitable access to legal education in its highly anticipated decisions Trinity Western University v Law Society of Upper Canada and Law Society of British Columbia v Trinity Western University. These decisions reaffirmed the Court’s role as a defender of LGBTQ+ rights.

Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Law, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, Student Forum

Trans inmates: It’s all about respect

  • July 04, 2017

Correctional Service Canada is reviewing its policies relating to gender identity and expression and the CBA’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community Forum, along with the CBA Criminal Justice Section, made a submission in June to respond to CSC’s proposed policy amendments.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law

SOGIC Celebrates 22 Years on World AIDS Day

  • December 02, 2016
  • Milé Komlen

SOGIC’s anniversary on World AIDS Day, December 1 (which also launches the start of Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week in Canada), is a time for reflection on what has been achieved regarding the national and global response to HIV and what we still must achieve.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law