Earlier this month, we launched a new policy on gender diversity. Its purpose is to ensure all of us within CHCPBC contribute to a workplace that is safe and inclusive for everyone.
Although the policy is internal and will be implemented by staff, board and committee members, I thought it was important to share why we implemented it. And I wanted to encourage the health professionals we regulate to use their influence to avoid unintentionally causing harm to anyone who is seeking care from you or those you work with.
The policy is part of our commitment to recognizing, upholding, and defending human rights respecting gender identity. It also supports our dedication to Indigenous anti-racism, which is incomplete without gender diversity access and safety.
Some of the ways you will see CHCPBC’s gender diversity policy reflected is through our communications with registrants and the public. Perhaps the best example is through the use of gender-neutral language and pronouns where a person’s pronouns have not been confirmed, and to avoid assumptions about the pronouns or gender identity of any person. Where a person’s pronouns are known, our staff will make every effort to use them – because intentional misgendering is both harmful and discriminatory.
For applicants and registrants, we will be working towards providing three optional fields (open text box) to indicate:
- the name they go by if different than the legal name
- gender identity
- pronouns
We will also be updating our complaint submission form to provide complainants the option of indicating the name they go by and their pronouns.
For those whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth, or cis-gender, the power of these changes in creating safety and inclusivity may not be immediately obvious. But I think back to a story that was shared with me by a trans woman who went to a health care setting before her legal identification had been updated with her new name.
The receptionist questioned why the name on their ID was different than the name they’d given for the appointment, in a voice that was audible to the entire waiting room. Had the receptionist’s employer ensured the receptionist understood how to handle such a situation sensitively and appropriately, the patient would not have been harmed. Instead we hope they would have felt respected, understood and supported by professionals whose role is to provide care.
Establishing a gender diversity policy at CHCPBC is one action we are taking to build an organization that offers a respectful and inclusive workplace for our staff, and a safe environment for registrants and members of the public who interact with us.
Thinking back to the words of Kai Scott of TransFocus Consulting, the gender strategist who led an educational session for the staff team, a person’s “correct name” is the name they share with us.
Dianne Millette
she/her
Registrar & Chief Executive Officer
College of Health and Care Professionals of BC
A number of legal instruments are in place that protect gender identity and gender expression, including the Canadian Human Rights Act and the BC Human Rights Code.
Trans Care BC offers resources to help providers create clinical environments that are affirming and culturally safe for trans, Two-Spirit and non-binary people.
