Unable to change sex with RAMQ

2023-05-02 08:02:03

While non-binary or trans people can in theory have their sex changed on their civil status documents since June 2022, changing the sex on the health insurance card remains impossible. The Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) ensures that a committee is currently studying the question and must provide recommendations concerning gender marks on civil documents.

“I feel exhausted and abandoned. At the other end of the line, the despair in the voice of Alexe Frédéric Migneault is palpable. This person, who identifies as non-binary, has been trying for more than two years to have her sex changed on her health insurance card in order to obtain the mention “X”. In vain.

“The sex on my health insurance card is lost data that gives rise to embarrassing, intrusive and disrespectful conversations. People bully me, ask me questions. It’s torture for me to have this card. »

A law that is slow to be applied

In February 2021, a highly publicized decision by the Superior Court provided an important victory for the LGBTQ+ community: the Court invalidated several articles of the Civil Code of Quebec deemed to discriminate against trans and non-binary people. In the process, it gave the government a short deadline to modify certain laws in order to facilitate the modification of sex on documents provided by the Quebec State. It also forced the government to provide options other than the “male” and “female” categories on documents.

A little over a year later, in June 2022, the Legault government finally passed its Bill 2, which allows trans and non-binary people to have the sex of their choice entered on their civil documents. Alexe Frédéric Migneault therefore managed to change the sex on his birth certificate without any problem. But doing the same for his health insurance card proves impossible. “They don’t tell me what to do, they don’t tell me what’s missing,” laments Alexe.

Questioned on this subject in a parliamentary committee last Thursday, the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Martine Biron, who is in charge of the file, indicated that the work of the committee was to end “soon”. The tabling of the report of this committee is expected “in the coming weeks, in the coming months at the latest”. She also explained that the expectation that prevents non-binary people from having their gender changed on their card is “a lot related to IT issues.”

The Office for the fight against homophobia and transphobia, which leads the interdepartmental committee, must meet the RAMQ and the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec “in the coming weeks”, according to the minister.

The RAMQ stated that it is awaiting the recommendations made by the interdepartmental committee which is currently studying the question. She declined the interview request of the Dutyinviting her to redirect her questions to the Secretariat for the Status of Women.

According to the Secretariat, an interdepartmental committee bringing together 20 departments and agencies has been mandated to study the issue of gender marks. This committee must make “government proposals” regarding the collection of these marks, their treatment and their display on identity documents produced by the State.

“These government guidelines are being developed. It should be noted that the addition of an X marker requires the linking of several computer systems, thus posing an additional technological challenge,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, which is also under the aegis of Minister Biron.

Hunger-strike

Meanwhile, Alexe is running out of resources. “We don’t understand what I’m going through and the consequences it has on my life. I’m off work, I’m at the end of my depression. I have suicidal thoughts. I can barely empty the dishwasher. »

As a protest against the waiting time, Alexe chose to cut his health insurance card with scissors two years ago. “It’s easier for me to explain why I don’t have a RAMQ card than to explain why I have my birth sex marked on my card. Alexe therefore has to pay for his health care. Costs that become difficult to absorb.

Despite the resulting financial difficulties, Alexe has no regrets. “I was so happy to put the scissors in my card. »

For his aunt Virginie Archambault, the situation is alarming. “I see Alexe wasting away in the absurd labyrinth that is imposed on him, she denounces in an interview. I am angry and deeply saddened. It’s not normal to go through all this. And his anxiety increases day by day. “Alexe is like one of my children, one of my kittens. I just can’t lose it. »

Alexe, for his part, has decided to use drastic measures by starting a hunger strike next Friday at Bois-de-Coulonge park, opposite the RAMQ head office. Even knowing that this fight will probably be fought in isolation, Alexe remains hopeful to speed up the process. “I feel like there is no other solution for me. »