Hockey Canada has agreed to make changes to protect young players in Ontario from discrimination and harassment based on a player’s transgender status. These changes resolve a human rights application Jesse Thompson filed after facing difficulties at his local arena.
Hockey Canada will:
- Provide training to all its Ontario-based trainers and coaches on gender identity and gender expression, including training on discrimination and harassment
- Amend its Ontario Co-Ed Dressing Room Policy, which will be publicly posted on the websites of the Ontario branches of Hockey Canada, to include that:
- A player has a right to use a dressing room that corresponds with the player’s self-identified gender identity;
- A player shall be addressed by the player’s preferred name and referred to by pronouns corresponding to the player’s self-identified gender identity; and
- A player is entitled to privacy and confidentiality with respect to the player’s trans status
- Provide information about the amended policy to staff, volunteers, parents/guardians and players in Ontario.
“I was scared, but I didn’t want to give up the game I love or the person I am. I just want to be that guy who’s really good at hockey and hope my actions mean other kids don’t go through the same pain,” said Jesse Thompson.