Status of Women committee  I definitely agree with the round table side of it, because the PowerPoint presentations just aren't working. We have been “death by PowerPoint”ed so many times in our career that it has lost its “ah” of amazement. A round table at which you actually ask questions and get people'

Status of Women committee  I can't really explain too much on the RMC side of it, but I do see officers on a daily basis, as my job is to train officers. I'm usually their first interaction with an LGBT member in the trans world, and they're all usually shocked and amazed, “Oh my God, there's a trans perso

Status of Women committee  I would recommend better training, getting the LGBT issues dealt with at a basic training level or at the RMC level.

Status of Women committee  Well, right now the navy is the only one that still segregates the sleeping quarters. In the army and air force, I believe, they all share the same tent. When it comes to their heads and wash places, they're separate, segregated as well, and rightfully so. In the navy, the female

Status of Women committee  For the most part, when it comes to Operation Honour, it's dealt with inside the unit itself. I can't report much more on it because the investigation is still ongoing. Once I found out what they were originally going to give this member, I grieved it very very heavily and severe

Status of Women committee  Yes.

Status of Women committee  In my opinion, that's what it is. I've talked to other people, and everybody knows what Operation Honour is, but for the most part, a lot of people, when it first came out, kept saying, “Oh, it's hop on her”, i.e. Op Honour. Comments are always being made that this is now a very

Status of Women committee  One of the main reasons I still continue to serve is because I love the job. I also hope people come out to the units. When I did go back into the office environment for five years, I started the positive space group in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with three other lovely women. It got

Status of Women committee  I've noticed that people have changed a lot of their ways. The problem is that there's still odd one in the military who doesn't believe anybody who is LGBT should be working, or they're scared of “Oh, you're going to look at me the wrong way” or “Ooh, this is going to happen”.

Status of Women committee  Correct.

Status of Women committee  In the military aspect, I don't believe so.

Status of Women committee  Once a year in the military we have to do a mandatory Operation Honour slide show—literally—at which people fall asleep. The higher-ups think this is all working, but when it comes to the lower ranks—for example, my rank as a leading seaman or corporal—they're not getting it. The

Status of Women committee  One thing that needs to be done is to have more education about Operation Honour. I do believe it is a good system, but I do believe there are a lot of flaws in it. It is a double-edged sword, shall we say, when it comes to the victim versus the assault.... I can't remember the n

Status of Women committee  Good morning. My name is Danielle Dewitt. I'm currently serving in National Defence. I've been in for 14 years. I came out as transgender when I was deployed overseas, surprisingly, and was roughly removed from a ship in Germany. One of the first times I came aboard and left th

Status of Women committee  What needs to happen.... The treatment I see of women is very poor. I was given the position of senior boatswain on board my ship. It was taken away from me, and given to a male. Even though I proved to be a really good sailor, this person was told, “You're now in charge of the s