SECTION UPDATE

sectionupdate Keep Current on CBABC Section Meetings

Section Meetings Addressing Human Sexuality & the Law

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community ("SOGIC")

has spearheaded the organization of Section meetings that centre on human sexuality. This year, their four meetings emphasized how the courts have responded to those who do not fall under the binary classification of gender and sex, including transgender people and intersex youth.

uuu Bodily Autonomy

and the Legal Implications of Medically Unnecessary Interventions on Intersex Children: The Next Frontier of Conversion Therapy

In February, SOGIC hosted Alesdair Ittelson, the Director of Law & Policy at InterACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, and discussed his experience working on the following:

The first case challenging “conversion therapy” as consumer fraud;

The first public case on behalf of an intersex person subjected to medically unnecessary “genital normalizing” surgery in infancy, and;

Authorizing the first legislation in US history to name the harms of non-consensual medical interventions on intersex people.

uuu Trans Competent

Lawyering

This highly attended webinar held in May featured Adrienne Smith of Adrienne Smith Law and Samuel Singer, Assistant Professor at Thompsons River University, Faculty of Law, who discussed the key legal issues trans people in BC are currently facing. During this meeting, Adrienne and Samuel reviewed case law and public settlements, which covered legal areas ranging from human rights to access to benefits.

The meeting also addressed the ethical and legal obligations of legal professionals working with trans people. The speakers provided practical tips for lawyers on working with trans people in BC.

uuu Panel Discussion

on A.B. v C.D.

SOGIC, in partnership with the Children’s Law Section, organized a June panel discussion on the recent decision in A.B. v C.D., 2020 BCCA 11. The case centred on whether a trans child, A.B., required consent from his parents, in particular, his father (C.D.) to undergo hormone treatment. The Court of Appeal ultimately ruled in the best interests of the child and the rights of trans youth.

The panel included Suzanne Williams of Brown Henderseon Melbye Lawyers, who has more than 25 years of experience as a child’s right advocate; Kay Scorer of Scorer Law Co., who acted as a counsel for claimant A.B., Stephanie L. Hamilton of Guild Yule LLP, who acted as counsel for the intervenor Provincial Health Services Authority; and Dustin W. Klaudt of Robert Fleming Lawyers, who acted as counsel for the intervenor Egale Canada Human Rights Trust.

uuu Making Babies the

New-Fashioned Way

This November 2019 meeting, held in partnership with Family Law — Vancouver, hosted Catherine Wong of Saltwater Law, Monique Shebbeare of Monique Shebbeare Law Co., and Zara Suleman of Zara Suleman Law who discussed the legal ramifications of assisted reproduction, defined as a method of conceiving a child other than by sexual intercourse. While the meeting focused on surrogacy and issues that may arise in parenting, the speakers touched upon tips on how to work with LGBTQ2SI+ clients, such as not making assumptions about their gender, pronouns, and their family situations.