City of Iqaluit to raise flag to honour transgender community
Blue, pink and white-striped flag will be raised at city hall on Jan. 28
The transgender flag was designed by a transgender U.S. Navy veteran named Monica Helms in the early 2000s. The City of Iqaluit plans to raise the flag next week. (Wikicommons Photo)
The City of Iqaluit will raise a new flag next week to show its support for the transgender community.
On Monday, Jan. 28, the city is inviting the public to come to city hall, where councillor Jason Rochon will raise the blue, pink and white-striped flag that has come to represent transgender rights.
The flag is being raised in conjunction with a council motion passed last year in support of Transgender Awareness Day, held Nov. 20.
The flag was designed by a transgender U.S. Navy veteran named Monica Helms in the early 2000s.
The light blue in the flag notes the traditional colour associated with baby boys and pink for baby girls, while the white in the middle is a symbol for those who are transitioning or consider themselves gender neutral.
In 2017, Nunavut MLAs also voted to amend the territory’s Human Rights Act by adding the terms “gender identity” and “gender expression” to the words “sexual orientation,” providing specific protection for transgender Nunavummiut.
Iqaluit residents are welcome to take part in the flag-raising at city hall on Jan. 28 at 12:15 p.m.
This new flag comes five years after the city first raised the rainbow flag at city hall—a symbol of gay pride and LGBTQ rights.
The city also has plans to raise another flag on Jan. 30—this one in support of mental health for Bell’s annual Let’s Talk campaign.
When did Canada’s flag become less than enough. Aren’t we all Canadians? One country, one flag, one people! This action doesn’t unite the nation it divides the nation. The more division there is the weaker the nation becomes. It’s time to reunite as” Canada Strong and Free” not Canada weak and disjointed!!!
Canada is not one country never has and never will be along as ignorant comments like this are posted! We all know the Canadian Flag has always been a symbol of one dominant group over others! By the way the Transgender Flag does not override the so called importantance of the Canadian Flag! It’s just a Flag to recognize a marginalized group of people that have been discriminated and ridiculed since Canada was born and Christians have imposed their will on alll marginalized people
This is a symbolic gesture towards a community of Canadians who have often felt excluded. There’s nothing inherently ‘divisive’ about it.
Though I have observed that people who are uncomfortable and intolerant of ‘others’ (those unlike themselves) often get very upset when non-dominant groups are publically recognized in some way. I suppose they fear the entire system on which their lives are built will somehow collapse, or that their own status within society is somehow under siege. This isn’t reality though.
Well said!!!!!!
A single flag simply can’t cover the diversity growth we are experiencing right now. Our new generation is promoting tolerance with more minority groups than we “baby boomers” can handle without some pushback. I shudder too but my daughter helps me understand, albeit reluctantly. At the end of the day I just say “No one from the transgender community has ever targeted my male identity with the purpose of making me feel unwanted, unaccepted or insignificant.” My thoughts are that this phenom will be not only normal in the near future but the stepping stone for far more extreme changes in human identity. Respectfully. I understand.
Thank you for your great comments and insight. As the parent of a transgender youth, I understand how difficult it can be to comprehend gender identity. You nailed it though, by saying no transgender person has ever targeted your manhood, made you feel insignificant or unwanted, yet many transgender people’ feel this every waking moment. People like you help change this world, good to know baby boomers can change !
After all it was we who fought so hard for change, peace, love and the freedom to do this without condemnation. There is no going back, just forward. 🙂
Umm, you’ve noticed that it’s never been just the Canadian flag flying at Iqaluit city hall, right? There’s also the Nunavut flag and the Iqaluit flag. Does flying those flags mean that Canada’s flag is “less than enough”? Do they create weakness and division? Do they undermine the unity of Canada? Why does putting out more flags demean or subtract from the flags that are already there?
Talk about a bland flag , not very colourfull like the gay flag
So proud of my former Hometown. Was born there back when it was known as Frobisher Bay. ❤️ Way to Iqaluit! ✊ #RepresentationMatters ?️?
Religion is divisive up here, whereas gender is fluid. Alot of ignorance exists here, about transgender folks.
Here is the medical and scientific explanation:
A fetus growing in their Mom’s womb, growing as one gender, is then exposed to the hormones of the other sex. As the mind develops, it takes in the hormones of the second which is known as “flooding”.
As kids grow up, their mind tells them one thing, yet their body is the opposite sex, which can produce frustration, isolation, depression and a desire to get everything back into sync, like transitioning to the sex, the mind tells you that you are.
Transgender folks are only trying to get things to where they think they should be and who they think they are.
Support them, respect them; their journey is long to transition, but they need our support!
Science and medical knowledge is more important, than religions that teach hate and abomination!