(Quebec) Alexe Frédéric Migneault, who is campaigning for the inclusion of a third gender option on health insurance cards, is on Saturday in his sixth day of hunger strike to put pressure on the Régie of Quebec (RAMQ).
Published yesterday at 5:59 p.m.
Thomas MacDonald The Canadian Press
For several years, non-binary Alexe Frédéric Migneault has been calling for a third gender option, “X,” to be added to health insurance cards alongside the traditional “M” or “F” for men and women.
“I admit that things are getting pretty difficult. I need broth pretty early in the morning, it takes a few hours before I feel ready to go. But overall my body is coping very well with it so far,” says Alexe Frédéric Migneault, who uses the pronoun “iel”.
Since Monday, his diet has consisted entirely of vegetable broth, water, and occasional hot chocolate to keep his blood sugar hydrated and at an appropriate level.
Alexe Frédéric camps in a public park near the RAMQ offices and braves the freezing temperatures overnight by wrapping himself in blankets in his car. A friend recently found a room where Alexe Frédéric Migneault could spend a few nights.
During the day, Alexe Frédéric Migneault seeks temporary shelter from the cold in shopping centers and cafés.
RAMQ confirms that Quebec’s Ministry of Health is still studying the impact such an update could have on the network of health and social services that rely on the information on insurance cards to treat patients and manage their care.
However, Alexe Frédéric Migneault says he is tired of waiting for RAMQ to catch up. Quebec made the “X” gender option available on birth and death certificates last year.
“I believe I am shedding light on something that is urgent and must be resolved as quickly as possible,” argued Alexe Frédéric Migneault, rejecting arguments that health insurance cards must reflect the gender assigned at birth, emphasizing that the “X “The marker would benefit the overall health of non-binary people.
“The ‘X’ will make access to healthcare easier and less scary for non-binary people. So if we go with our “X,” we will be less likely to have mental or physical problems because we will be treated better. »
Alexe Frédéric Migneault says he has received no news from the Quebec government or RAMQ officials since his hunger strike began.
However, their strike caught the attention of the minister who heads the government’s office to combat homophobia and transphobia.
Speaking to journalists in Quebec on Friday, Minister Martine Biron Alexe called on Frédéric Migneault to end his demonstration and show patience. She mentioned an inter-ministerial committee within her remit dealing with the issue of gender characteristics. She said the committee was making progress but did not say when Option “X” might become more prominent.
“I can’t pull the flower to make it grow faster,” Ms. Biron said. There are measures to be taken, but there is movement. »
However, Alexe Frédéric Migneault does not want to give up his hunger strike. “I will fight until the end until we get the ‘X’. We deserve the X. The letter I have on my birth certificate is the one I am entitled to and I will not accept anything else. »