Newmarket library stops collecting gender data after girl's gender challenged by employee

Mount Albert mom applauds move but expects more from board

Yorkregion.com
December 6, 2019
Lisa Queen

A good first step but not enough.

That’s the reaction of Mount Albert mom Kayla Scott after the Newmarket Public Library Board agreed to take some action to address her concerns following a disturbing gender identity incident involving her six-year-old daughter.

The little girl’s excitement about getting a library card was punctured after a library worker repeatedly insisted she was a boy despite Scott’s efforts to correct the employee.

The library had been collecting patrons’ gender information to assess who uses the facility.

Although Scott (who doesn’t want her daughter’s name publicized) said the girl wears her hair short and wears boys’ clothing in a way many tomboys do, the youngster identifies as a girl.

“It stays within a child when they are overtly discriminated against. It starts young, the understanding of different, the ‘I’m different.’ It starts really young and it starts with how people treat each other,” Scott said.

“It was disappointing. But she knows (change) is something that will happen and we are there to protect her and to advocate for her.”

Wanting to turn the negative experience into a positive impetus for change, Scott brought her concerns to the library board.

On Nov. 20, the board said the library would stop collecting patrons’ gender information.

“The whole issue of male/female, as I thought about it, it’s not entirely clear why we have collected or would need to collect it,” Coun. Victor Woodhouse, a member of the board, said.

“It’s one of those things we have done but you question why we need to do it.”

Scott applauds the board’s decision.

However, she complained a report from library CEO Todd Kyle didn’t go far enough in addressing her concerns.

Scott feels Kyle downplayed her daughter’s experience.

“The report omitted overtly calling it gender-based discrimination of the incident that occurred and that’s harmful,” she said.

“When we don’t really call it what it is, it allows for that incident to happen again without the impact to the organization to improve and for the town to change their policies and improve practices.”

Scott is also worried because Kyle recommends staff receive general sensitivity and customer service training for a diverse community, rather than specific gender expression and gender identity training.

“Based on the incident, they need to have precise training and practices around how to accommodate and include all users of the Newmarket Public Library,” she said.

“It’s not sufficient to say sensitivity train. It’s actually anti-discriminatory and equity training that’s required.”

Meanwhile, Scott is disappointed the board isn’t speeding up the process of recruiting marginalized residents and their allies, such as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Newmarket is changing and when I look at that board and we talk about reflecting inclusion, reflecting the needs of our community members, it starts at the board,” she said.

“It starts with those who do our governing policies around the board.”

However, Kyle said community members are appointed to the board by town council and, under the Public Library Act, those appointments can only take place at the start of a new council term or if there’s a vacancy.

That means new appointments will happen following the 2022 municipal elections.

But that’s not good enough for Scott, who feels the board could find ways to include new voices.

“Twenty-twenty-two is too late. It needs to start now,” she said.

Meanwhile, Scott’s daughter’s incident could end up having positive results across the province.

Scott has reached out to London North Centre MPP Terence Kernaghan, the NDP critic for LGBTQ+ issues, who is considering introducing a private member’s bill, possibly named in her daughter’s honour, regarding gender inclusivity or expression issues in public spaces.

“Governments have a responsibility to support trans and gender non-conforming Ontarians. We must advocate on their behalf,” he said, adding details of the proposed legislation aren’t yet known because it’s in its early stages.

“I think we can all agree a person’s gender identity or expression, they should never be open for debate -- We have to ensure our public spaces are welcoming for trans and gender non-conforming Ontarians -- Supporting trans and gender non-conforming people in Ontario at an early age, it has been shown there are positive impacts, whether it’s their mental health, their well-being or their success in life.”