A transgender woman from St. Catharines has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) after filming police asking for her “deadname,” and she is looking for better training for officers along with compensation.
Sabrina Hill was recording a video at the St. Catharines bus terminal on Dec. 17, 2023, when Niagara regional police approached her, leading to a discussion between Hill and one of the officers.
“What’s your deadname?” asks an officer later identified in the documents as Const. Ashley Del Duca.
“I’m sorry – what is my what?” Hill replied.
“Your deadname,” the officer said.
In the video, Hill questions what a “deadname” means. Del Duca answers, “I’m just trying to be respectful to you,” before asking about Hill’s pronouns.
Hill stated that the officers insisted she stop filming and provide her name, which she refused to do. She later shared with CBC that it was because she didn’t think she needed to identify herself and lacks trust in the police.
While some people use “deadname” to refer to their previous name, often their birth name, not all transgender individuals feel comfortable with this term.
WATCH | Officer asks transgender woman for her ‘deadname’:
Video shows officer ask trans person “what’s your deadname?”
A video captures a Niagara police officer asking a trans individual for their deadname. A deadname is the name someone used prior to transitioning.
Hill believes that the officer requested her “deadname” in an attempt to expose her as transgender and demean her.
“A deadname isn’t just an old name – it’s tied to misgendering intentionally, discrimination and really an erasure of who I am,” Hill explained. “She wasn’t concerned with who I am. She wanted to embarrass me and know who I was despite having no legal, ethical or moral right to do so.”
The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) and Del Duca have submitted a response to the tribunal. CBC Hamilton has obtained a copy of this response, defending how Del Duca interacted with Hill.
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Hill stands in front of the Pride flag crosswalk near the Niagara Region police headquarters on June 23, 2022. (Submitted by Sabrina Hill)
Another organization called The Human Rights Legal Support Centre has recently set up a consultation call with her just five days before mediation later this month.
Johanna Macdonald, director of legal initiatives at The 519 community center in Toronto, mentioned that unrepresented complainants like Hill face significant challenges when dealing with seasoned lawyers’ arguments and emphasized that more government support is essential for accessing legal help.
The term “deadname” can be “extremely triggering” for transgender individuals; Colleen Elizabeth Mc Teague told CBC Hamilton during an earlier interview as well as being facilitator for Transgender Niagara’s peer support group. “I would feel attacked if somebody asked me that , and I would definitely refuse.”
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Hill worried about finding good legal assistance
The tribunal handles claims under Ontario’s Human Rights Code, which protects individuals from discrimination based on gender expression and identity. Although Hill filed her human rights complaint on Jan. 15, 2024, she feels that the tribunal system is “fundamentally rigged” against those making complaints. Even though Hill is a licensed paralegal, she’s concerned about facing off against lawyers experienced in police misconduct cases. “While the police officer who harmed me has secured [an] attorney billing over $500 an hour, I have had to represent myself,” Hill told CBC Hamilton in a recent interview. “This isn’t a David and Goliath situation. I am a piece of gravel in David’s shoe.”Source link
