'Still more work to do': First person in Canada with gender-neutral passport reacts to day of awareness
One of the first people in Canada to get a gender-neutral 'X' on their passport says Canada has come a long way, but there is still more work to be done.
Gemma Hickey spoke with CTV's Maralee Caruso on the 18th Annual International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. They say it is a day of awareness, recognition and celebration.
"But it is also a reminder to people out there, especially our allies, that we still have more to do. It is days like today where we can rally together as a nation to do just that," Hickey told Caruso.
"I'm so proud to be Canadian, I just have to say, because there are other parts of the world (where) homosexuality is still criminalized. Transgender people like myself can be murdered.”
They said while there has been a lot of advances – such as the end to the blood ban – they said more changes are needed.
"(There is) lots to celebrate but still more work to do."
Watch the full interview with Gemma Hickey to hear what they say needs to happen next in Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
developing A bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.