A new by-law means more inclusive language at Thunder Bay city council meetings.
No longer will council be using gendered titles, such as Mr. or Ms. during meetings.
The motion is an update to Council’s procedural by-law last updated in 2012.
Jason Veltri is the president of the Rainbow Collective, and stresses this change will benefit many people throughout the community.
“This work is not taken lightly, and it helps ensure those who identify as gender diverse are valued, accepted, and seen.” says Veltri, “This work has Thunder Bay on the right path to building a truly inclusive, open, and welcoming city.”
Veltri put forward other recommendations aside from the pronoun changes during the council meeting. Included was council members and city officials including their preferred pronouns on their email sginatures. Veltri believes while it is a small gesture, it provides massive support to individuals in the community.
Councillor Brian Hamilton weighed in on the changes, believing this goes even beyond supporting marginalized groups.
“Definitely happy to support the motion. For me, it’s not only a matter of supporting LGBTQ rights and creating the equitable workspace, it’s about showing respect for people in their professional positions.” explains Hamilton, “There’s a lot of weight put on pronouns, especially as we transition out of a primarily patriarchal society. I find it much more important to call and engineering professional that is managing a division director, rather than miss.”
Also being considered is expanding the gender options on community surveys, engagements, and forms. Many individuals are often provided with only three options being male, female, or other.
