Census data released Wednesday offers an unprecedented snapshot of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 transgender population, showing 0.33 per cent of residents identify as a gender that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

The data collected during last year香蕉视频直播檚 national household survey shows about 100,815 people are transgender or non-binary, including 31,555 who are transgender women, 27,905 who are transgender men and 41,355 who are non-binary.

It香蕉视频直播檚 the first time Statistics Canada has differentiated between 香蕉视频直播渟ex at birth香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播済ender香蕉视频直播� in the census, a change advocates say will offer crucial insight into a marginalized population and the systemic barriers it faces.

Fae Johnstone, a transgender advocate, said population-level data backing up trans people香蕉视频直播檚 lived experience has thus far been slim, so this new information is important both symbolically and practically.

香蕉视频直播淚t says something when our government is recognizing the existence of trans folks who have historically been kept out of these conversations and uncounted,香蕉视频直播� Johnstone said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut it also is useful to us to better understand how we can focus interventions and address health inequities experienced by trans folks across this country.香蕉视频直播�

While previous censuses asked only about sex, the 2021 edition asked about both 香蕉视频直播渟ex at birth,香蕉视频直播� which it said is 香蕉视频直播渄etermined by a person香蕉视频直播檚 biological characteristics,香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播済ender,香蕉视频直播� which it said could differ from what香蕉视频直播檚 indicated on legal documents.

Under 香蕉视频直播済ender,香蕉视频直播� respondents were able to choose either male or female, or write in a third option.

Government demographers said they will use 香蕉视频直播渟ex at birth香蕉视频直播� to compare to historical data on sex.

In some cases, Statistics Canada said, it will be necessary to narrow gender down into two categories 香蕉视频直播渢o protect the confidentiality of responses provided.香蕉视频直播� Those categories will be 香蕉视频直播渕en+香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渨omen+香蕉视频直播�, and each will encompass some people who are non-binary.

The inclusion of transgender people in the census is part of a broader move by the Liberal government to be more inclusive of the LGBTQ community.

In 2017, the government added gender identity and expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, and amended the Criminal Code to include those same groups in the list of 香蕉视频直播渋dentifiable groups香蕉视频直播� that could be targets of genocides and hate crimes.

The following year, the federal budget noted Statistics Canada香蕉视频直播檚 efforts to reflect gender diversity in the census and allocated funds to the agency to create a new Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics.

Its mandate, Statistics Canada said, is to develop 香蕉视频直播渁 Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) data hub to support evidence-based policy development and decision making, both within the federal government and beyond.香蕉视频直播�

Johnstone said this government has been good in some ways on LGBTQ issues, but it hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been perfect.

香蕉视频直播淚 think my biggest critique of this government on LGBTQ issues is that they put all of their words in the right place, they say all of the right words. But it香蕉视频直播檚 the delivery, the implementation that I really want to see happen,香蕉视频直播� she said.

For example, the government香蕉视频直播檚 recent announcement of $100 million toward its federal LGBTQ2 action plan was historic, Johnstone said, but it came late and the amount is still disproportionately low.

香蕉视频直播淗olding all of that as true, I still think that this says something about our current government in the best of ways, that we香蕉视频直播檙e recognizing trans people exist and that trans people need to be captured,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Gemma Hickey, a transmasculine non-binary author and activist, said it香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渁bout time.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎s an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights for over 20 years, I香蕉视频直播檝e been a part of and witnessed many changes. But these types of changes, especially when it comes to the census, are long overdue.香蕉视频直播�

Nearly five years ago, Hickey became one of the first Canadians to receive a gender-neutral birth certificate.

Hickey said they hope the census will spark a broader conversation by acknowledging that the sex a person was assigned at birth is not necessarily the same as gender.

香蕉视频直播淭hat visibility 香蕉视频直播� that recognition 香蕉视频直播� is very important for people, because we are here. We have been here as long as you香蕉视频直播檝e been here,香蕉视频直播� they said.

香蕉视频直播擭icole Thompson, The Canadian Press