Ontario Hockey announced Wednesday that it is launching a new trans-inclusive training program for team officials.
The program is aiming to create a more informed and well-versed team that will help teach discrimination based on gender identity and understanding gender expression.
The gender identity and expression online courses are now available. This is a requirement for all team officials https://t.co/kd2Is3pz39
— @HEOhockey (@HEOhockey) June 27, 2017
Officials for amateur minor and junior hockey for the Canada-based teams are required to complete two courses on the topic — Understanding Discrimination based on Gender Identity and Gender Expression and A Guide to the Dressing Room Policy and Confidentiality Statement.
The Dressing Room Policy Implementation Guide acts as a guide to provide standards and guidelines necessary to “ensure the safe, inclusive, and equitable participation of all players.”
The guide also provides a series of helpful definitions such as “Gender Identity,” “Transgender” and “Assigned Sex” to better understand the vocabulary used in the document.
“Hockey Eastern Ontario believes that this training is crucial in educating our Team Officials on the subject of Trans-inclusive sport and is proud to be working with Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO) and the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) on this endeavor,” Ron McRostie, HEO president, said in a statement.
This training acts as a response to a complaint filed in 2013 to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario against Hockey Canada that claimed the organization partook in discrimination in services based on gender identity.
The training courses are to be completed by Oct. 1 of this year and anyone who signs onto the organization within a month of or after the deadline will have 30 days to complete the training.
The courses urge its participates to be open-minded, willing to ask questions, and have patience. They state in the Implementation Guide that it’s not about being perfect but being respectful to others.