Haligonians gather to celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility

For the second year, the trans flag flew above Nova Scotia’s Province House to mark International Transgender Day of Visibility.

Dozens gathered outside at the south garden of the legislature to share the importance of the day.

“Today is a very important day for showing hope to those who like my early life didn’t feel that they had any hope,” said Veroniza Merrifield, director of Cape Breton Transgender Network.

“As a trans adult who didn’t have a lot of representation growing up, it feels really exciting to know that young people can see themselves represented by adults in their lives,” said Carmel Farahbakhsh, a member of the Nova Scotia Youth Project.

According to the Canadian census data, Nova Scotia has the highest percentage of trans and non-binary people in the country.

The group said that while society has progressed in the last decade, there is a lot more that needs to be done.

“We need more than just visibility. We need policy changes which not only reflect the health care needs of trans and non-binary people but also address the root causes of the issues of the issue that makes our health care needs more complex in the first place,” said Vincent Mousseau, registered social worker. 

Boyd’s Pharmacy was the first of its kind to cater to the LGBTQS+ community’s needs. The pharmacy manager and owner, Greg Richard said health inequities exist across the health care system.

“A lot of the times they need our help to get to a point where they feel that they can be who they are. If we’re not educated and if we’re not able to provide top tier service, I think we’re doing a real disservice.”

The group made calls for more government support beyond an annual flag raising.