LGBTQ Community celebrating new legislation throughout Pride Month

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The LGBTQ community had a lot to celebrate while marching through the streets of Hamilton today. It’s an exciting time because just two days ago the senate voted to enact new federal protections for transgender Canadians.

The bill makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression and makes it a hate crime to target someone for being transgender.

Locally, Hamilton city councillors approved a new protocol back in March that included rules to allow transgender people to use public restrooms and change rooms based on their gender identities.

Although the LGBTQ community has a lot to celebrate today it is also a reminder of some of the challenges the community still faces.

“When I was riding on the HSR bus one time, people looked at me and said ‘is that a man or a woman’? And I felt really scared,” said one woman.

June is Pride Month and all there will be more events throughout Hamilton, including Pride at the Bay which is a party tonight at 10 p.m. at Bay City Music Hall. On Sunday there will also be a Pride worship service at the First Unitarian Church.