Saskatchewan first to fly transgender flag at provincial capital
Flag-raising held at Saskatchewan Legislature for International Transgender Day of Visibility
Saskatchewan made history on Tuesday.
The transgender pride flag was raised at the legislature in Regina as a part of International Transgender Day of Visibility and the province's Transgender Awareness Week.
This marks the first time the flag has flown at a provincial capital in Canada.
"The importance of the flag-raising today is to celebrate the diversity of gender within Saskatchewan and to celebrate the small steps we've taken within Saskatchewan in recognizing transgender people as full citizens," said Mikayla Schultz, the executive director of TransSask Support Services.
She pointed to the implementation of language in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code to protect transgender people as a sign of progress.
"We're moving forward and the trans community is happy and excited that we are moving forward," she said.
However, Schultz also said that Saskatchewan still lags behind the rest of the country in some respects and there is more work ahead.
She said that now members of the transgender community are focused on changing gender markers for identification as well as introducing more resources for health professionals so transgender people have better access to health care.
"We do have a long ways to go, but the provincial government is committed to seeing us through to our goals."