When will a first trans person elected to Parliament? “It could be in the next elections, it could be in 10 years, it could be in 20 years, but it will happen,” says Élye Plourde, a scholarship of the Jean-Charles-Bonenfant Foundation, in an interview with The sun.
But everything will depend on political parties, which have the real power in terms of representativeness in the Parliament.
A doctoral student in law at Laval University, Élye Plourde wondered why so few trans people are presented in the elections, and why have none have been elected to the parliaments of Quebec and Canada so far.
As part of an internship with the Jean-Charles-Bonendant Foundation, she followed Quebec parliamentarians for 10 months and met seven trans or non-binary people who presented themselves in the elections in order to publish her test Gender minorities at the gates of power.
The political parties in question
Élye Plourde has listed several obstacles for trans people who wish to be elected, but it targets political parties as the node of the problem.
“They have to have a real reflection on [l’inclusivité] And how their recruitment mechanisms work, ”says the stock market.
Above all, everything is played out in the allocation of the constituencies.
But the parties have still not dared to put forward a trans candidacy in a constituency with a good chance of winning the election, reveal the various testimonies.
“If we really want a person of diversity to be elected [et qu’on la place] In a fortified castle, this person has good chance of being elected. It’s just that it does not happen to place a person of gender diversity in a district castle, ”explains Élye Plourde.
“It is said that it is a risk, but it can also be seen as a strong candidacy. A message, a symbol, ”notes the lawyer.
“According to those questioned, he appears that political parties want to mediate in the situation more media and to seem good, without really believing in the election of a trans or non -binary person.”
— Extract from Elye Plourde’s test
The Director General of Elections (DGE) comes to the same observation. “Political parties are crucial actors to promote parity and diversity in politics. The recent advances in the representation of women in the National Assembly are also linked to the efforts of Quebec political parties in this matter, “writes the DGE in its recent report of recommendations.
“I knew very well that I was not going to be elected”
Gabrielle* knows something. The Trans woman wore the colors of the Liberal Party of Canada (PLC) in 2021 in a historically conservative constituency in Quebec.
“I expected to live a lot of transphobia, but I hardly lived,” attests the former candidate, in an interview with The sun.
In reality, the voters made the candidate very welcome. But the conservative deputy was re -elected without difficulty for another mandate in the constituency.
“Even if we knew very well that we would not be elected, we worked hard. I really did it more for the common good, and because I believed in the party. ”
— Gabrielle*, liberal candidate in 2021
For a trans deputy to be elected in Quebec or in Canada, political parties will have to decide, and that they present candidates of gender diversity in “winning” districts, hammers the former candidate.
“If we place trans people in ingenable constituencies, it is certain that they will never be elected. We continue to be beautiful by saying “we are inclusive”, but the real will, it will be the effort to place a trans person in a more realistic constituency, ”says the training scientist.
Gabrielle continues to dream of becoming a deputy in Quebec or Canada. But “this glass ceiling that persists for the Trans community can only be broken with the will of political parties,” she summarizes.
No transphobia
Trans has occupied all a small place in its electoral campaign, adds Gabrielle. She did not campaign on the LGBTQ+challenges, but rather on the causes that pushed her to get involved in politics, such as the financing of scientific research.
“What caused my defeat is not the fact that I was trans is the fact that I was liberal.”
— Gabrielle*, liberal candidate in 2021
“I hope not to be the only trans candidate [aux prochaines élections]», Insists the former candidate, despite a certain rise in hatred against trans people in the world. “I always believe that the population of Quebec is inclusive and that the majority of people will see in addition to the fact that I am trans and judge me for the ideas I bring.”
In the past few years, Élye Plourde confirms that an “anti-trans-transverse movement” has complicated the journey of the people she interviewed.
“The majority of people told me about the political climate and told me that it would be more difficult to be elected today than five years ago,” she notes.
“On the other hand, what we are not talking about is that there are many allied people who expect to see diverse profiles.” We often forget this large part “quieter, but more open” of the population, which supports trans and non-binary people, recalls the author.
An LGBTQ+ candidacy may even prove to be an asset with certain voters, noted Élye Plourde.
“It’s not true that gender diversity is something of a [seul] political party. It’s like homosexuality, it’s like women’s rights, it goes beyond political parties, ”adds Élye Plourde.
The limited number of trans people who have attempted their luck in politics, however, does not allow him to determine “whether the advantages of a trans or non -binary candidacy supplant its drawbacks, or vice versa”.
*Fictive name. Gabrielle requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.
